


Gold Script

by addic7edstyles



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Enemies, Hogwarts First Year, Hogwarts Second Year, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23809699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addic7edstyles/pseuds/addic7edstyles
Summary: The name of your soulmate, the person you are meant to spend the rest of your life with is etched into your skin the day your soulmate is born. Draco carries Harry's name with him everywhere he goes, destined to be Harry's.-A rewrite of the HP series with Drarry as soulmates.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 57
Kudos: 264





	1. Destined To Be Yours?

_June 5th, 1980_

Narcissa Malfoy had an easy birth, surrounded by all the people she loved and several of the best healers Britain had to offer should something have gone wrong. Her husband held her hand as a healer cut the umbilical cord of the squirming baby that came out of her and assessed the health of the baby. She smiled up at Lucius, his name on her wrist was blooming beautiful pink roses around it, his name a glowing emerald.

“He’s perfect, the chap.” A new voice declared, having entered the room after the baby’s birth. Abraxas Malfoy regarded his grandson with pride and joy. The continuity of the Malfoy line. When the healer handed the still crying baby back to Narcissa, she agreed with his father in law. The baby was indeed perfect. She knew immediately there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for her son, who had stopped crying but was making grabby hands at her chest.

“Have you decided on a name?” Her sister asked, sunken eyes sparkling. Narcissa looked back down at the baby boy and his tuft of blonde hair and smiled.

“Draco. Draco Lucius Malfoy.” She felt her husband squeeze her hand tighter at the revelation.

_July 31st, 1980_

When Harry Potter was born, his young parents gazed at the beautiful form of their precious baby boy with all the love an adoration in the world. Lily, still sweaty and exhausted from the birth, nestled into the pillows behind her with her son in her arms.

James bent down to kiss her gently on the temple as Sirius and Lupin rushed in with congratulations. Lily glared at her soulmate’s best friends who had inevitably become hers as well, but surprisingly, the commotion didn't upset the baby nestled in her arms. Baby Harry only gurgled in glee as he took in the chaotic energy of Sirius Black.

“He’s going to be just like you, isn’t he,” Lily grumbled lovingly to James as they flocked together. They would all give anything to protect baby Harry Potter, even their lives.

_August 1st,1980_

Narcissa woke from a good night’s sleep which had only been disturbed by Lucius getting out of bed sometime in the middle of the night at the dark lord’s call. She worried about her soulmate because the dark lord had suddenly begun to pay extra attention to him, but she knew they were both loyal to the cause, so she wasn't afraid for their safety.

Glancing at his empty side of the bed, she decided she was concerned, however, of her other half being overworked. She was about to get dressed and go about her day of meeting other important aristocrats and gathering favors for the dark lord when a house-elf appeared in her bedroom. Narcissa stared down at the wide-eyed creature as it began to speak.

“Madam, the nanny fell sick in the early morning hours and took a leave.” Narcissa scowled, immediately miffed at her staff.

“And the substitute?”

“She hasn’t come in either, madam.” The house-elf bent down so low that it was almost prostrating itself in front of her. She huffed and got up to go to her son's nursery, allowing it to trail behind her.

Her anger dissipated when she saw her baby, though, awake, and patiently waiting. He clutched a blanket in his chubby arms and wiggled around his cot, cooing when he saw his mother. She picked him up gently and brought him over to the changing table.

“Does the nanny change him first or feed him first, Dobby?” “

Young master is changed and then fed, madam. His clothes are in the drawers. His bottle is already here, warming.” The elf sped around, bringing Narcissa Draco’s diapers, clothes, and other things as she began to undress her baby.

Narcissa certainly hadn't expected Draco's soul mark to appear for a good while, a baby only got his soul mark if his soul mate was already born. She had been born with Lucius' name on her wrist, but she knew he hadn't gotten hers until the day she was born when he was almost two years old.

She glanced down at Draco's torso, knowing his soulmate had been born in the late hours of last night. There, nestled between his ribs, was his soul mate’s name etched in gold handwriting.

_Harry Potter._

She glanced at her own on her wrist and stepped away from the changing table, breathing becoming erratic. She knew immediately that her life and Draco’s had changed in a drastic manner. “Dobby.” She turned around at the terrified house elf that had definitely seen too much.

“You must inform all nannies that their service is no longer required.”

“Yes, my lady.” Dobby was quivering in fear.

“I must, I must bind this knowledge in your mind, dobby.” Narcissa was gentler as she pulled her wand out. “It is for all of our safety.” Dobby looked too relieved, and Narcissa wondered if the elf had been expecting her to kill it.

“I have a new job for you, Dobby.” She brushed baby Draco’s hair gently and picked him up before bringing him to the rocking chair in the corner. Dobby followed, surprised to hear the plea in his mistress’s voice. “You are removed from all your duties in the kitchens. Your sole purpose is to protect my son.”

Narcissa Malfoy looked into the eyes of the house-elf and for a moment wished she had treated it better in the past. She had never been abusive or unkind, but she knew that house-elves lead a life that didn't span beyond working for whatever family they were born into. She vowed to herself that someday, she would free Dobby, or give him the choice to freedom if Draco survived this ordeal.

“Ensure nobody ever sees his soul mark. You will always be wherever my son is, even if not always seen.”

_10th December 1980_

Lilly laughed as her husband and son chased each other shirtless through the halls of their house. The name of Harry’s soulmate sparkled with the light against his skin.

“What are we going to do about that?” Lupin muttered from beside her, stroking Sirius’ hair absentmindedly. Only the four of them knew about Harry’s soul mark, but they didn't really know what to do about it. They only knew Harry needed to be protected, and maybe having a soulmate who was the son of a death eater would have some form of advantage.

“We don’t,” Sirius responded from the floor, looking at the insane pair that was Harry and James. He wished he was with them, but he wanted to talk to Lily. Preferably without Lupin’s presence, so he had been hovering around, hoping for a moment alone.

“What do you mean, Padfoot?” “I mean, it’s been months since the mark appeared, the Malfoys haven’t said a word, and we haven’t heard that the dark lord knows either.”

“As if Snivellus is a trustworthy source,” James commented as he ran past them with Harry on his shoulders. Harry was squealing in absolute delight.

“James,” Lily warned, but it was difficult not to smile at the pair.

“It’ll be a problem when it becomes a problem. For now, we need to protect Harry from you-know-who.” Sirius muttered.

“Mooney, maybe we could have another butterbeer before we go.” He stared at his soulmate with big, innocent eyes as Mooney gives him a suspicious one back.

“Look what the sugar has done to them.”

“I want to be one of them. I am one of them.” Sirius gestured to James, who was now pretending to bite Harry’s chubby little legs as Harry attempted to free himself by screaming.

“Oh for the love of Merlin.” Lupin got up and walked to the kitchen.

“Lily, I shouldn’t be your secret keeper.” Sirius hurriedly whispered as Lupin disappeared. His voice was drowned by Harry’s squealing, so James didn't hear either. Lily looked startled as she tore her gaze away from her husband and son. The secret keeper talk had only just begun, not even in serious motion yet.

“Don’t be silly Sirius. Who else would it be but you?” Sirius wanted to say more but Lupin returns with his butterbeer, so he had no choice but to chug it and go to Harry’s aid against Prongs.

_25th December 1980_

Narcissa smiled softly at her son as he determinedly waved his grandfather’s wand around. It’s had several childproofing spells cast on it so the most it can do is choke out sparkles, which entertained Draco more than anything.

“Momma, look.” Draco squealed as a violet jet poured out.

“You look stressed, daughter,” Abraxas commented from his armchair, putting the book he was reading down.

“Lucius and I haven’t spoken properly in months.” She replied softly. Over the months as she discovered Draco’s secret, Lucius had been given something of dire importance to the dark lord. He was consumed by it, and he had explicitly told Narcissa in one of his lucid moments that she must not tell him anything, nor associate him.

She had a suspicion that he was under an imperious curse, but she was helpless even if he was. There was nothing she could do. She glanced down at her wrist where Lucius’ name was written in emerald ink. Usually, close proximity with soulmates would cause the mark to glitter or shine. Sometimes flowers or butterflies would appear along the mark too, depending on their moods.

Narcissa remembered a time when Lucius’ name used to be surrounded by white roses, etching into her pale skin. She remembered a time when the emerald ink used to glow so brightly she could read his name in the dark. Now, it was a lifeless dull green.

“The dark lord demands everything from his followers,” Abraxas said softly, feeling sorry for his daughter-in-law. He only knew that his son was given a diary, but of its contents, he knew nothing.

“I miss him.” She muttered in response, wishing, not for the first time in the past few months, that her husband was not a death eater.

_31st October 1981_

Narcissa heard the death eaters cackling with glee that afternoon from her study. She stared in interest as Peter Pettigrew scurried off, only momentarily catching her eye. She retired to Draco’s nursery immediately, knowing the Dark Lord will be killing tonight.

Draco cried the whole night, and she couldn't do anything other than hold him, heart heavy for what has happened to his soulmate.

She didn't know if it’s a good thing or bad when she heard Harry Potter lived.

_July 31st, 1991_

On the London Underground on the way to buy his school supplies with Hagrid, Harry waited until they sat down on the train to ask him a question he had been positively itching to ask.

“Hagrid?”

“Yes Harry?” They were sitting quite alone on an entire compartment, save for a few people who purposely stayed as far away from Hagrid as possible.

“Do wizards have names written on them?” Harry went a bit red at the question and stumbled to rephrase it. “I mean, like the name of another Wizard on them?”

“Blimey Harry, I keep forettin’ ya know nothin’”

Hagrid interjected almost gently. “Yes. Yes, they do.” The big man pushed up his sleeve and there, looking almost tiny on his forearm, in an elegant scrawl was _Olympe Maxime._

“Wizards are supposed ter have a soulmate yer see, ‘arry.” Hagrid explained. “Their name appears somewhere on yer body, and yer supposed to meet them in yer lifetime.” Harry’s mind reels at the information. All his childhood, uncle Vernon had yelled at him saying his parents had branded him like a cow, not knowing the significance of the name.

“Were my parents soulmates, Hagrid?” Hagrid’s smile almost turned glassy.

“They were, ‘arry.”

~

Harry entered Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions feeling a little giddy at the excitement of it all. While he felt a little nervous because it is his first time alone anywhere in Diagon alley, he didn’t feel afraid at all.

“Hogwarts, dear?” Madam Malkin asked him with a kind smile. Before Harry could answer, the witch prattled on. “Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact.”

As Harry followed the squat witch to the back of the shop, he noticed a pale blond boy standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Harry thought he looked beautiful but said nothing as he got fitted himself.

“Hullo,” said the boy, “Hogwarts too?”

“Yes.” Harry replied, realizing his voice is as beautiful as his face.

“My father’s next door buying my books and mother’s up the street looking at wands,’ said the boy. He has a bored, drawling voice. “Then I’m going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don’t see why first-years can’t have their own. I think I’ll bully father into getting me one and I’ll smuggle it in somehow.” Harry didn’t quite get half of what the boy was saying, but he liked how fast the boy could talk. It almost comforted him.

The boy went on, rambling about something called quidditch, only stopping to ask Harry small questions about if he’s played it or who his favorite team is. Harry could barely say no before the boy started to ramble again. Harry just smiled and listened. He talked about houses, and said he wanted to be picked to be in Slytherin.

“What about you?” Harry suddenly found the ground very interesting.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know the houses.” Harry saw a flicker of concern in the boy’s silver eyes.

“Are you a muggle?”

“No. My parents were wizards. But they’re dead, you see.”

“Oh.” The boy looked at him not with pity, but with kindness, and he was grateful for that. “I’m sorry they died.” He said, speaking slower now. He came a little closer to Harry. “My uncle died before I was born and apparently my mom never got over it. He was her favorite cousin, you see.” Harry nodded quietly, thankful for the way the boy reacted.

“I say, look at that man!” the boy said suddenly, nodding toward the window. Hagrid stood there, grinning at Harry with two large ice creams in his hands.

“That’s Hagrid.” Harry said with a smile. “he works at Hogwarts.”

“What does he do?” The boy asked curiously.

“He’s the gamekeeper. He’s brilliant.”

“Have you spent the day with him? What has he told you about Hogwarts so far? I bet lots of insider’s things!” The boy looked excited now, and Harry smiled with him.

“I haven’t had the chance yet. I asked him about soulmates though.” The boy suddenly deflated, and Harry wondered why, but before he could ask, Madam Malkin chips in.

“That’s you done, my dear.” She told Harry. So, he hopped off the footstool and turned towards the boy. His silver eyes looked almost muddy grey.

“I’ll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose.” Harry told him. The boy gave him a weak smile but didn’t respond. As Harry ate his ice cream with Hagrid, he wondered why the boy got so upset suddenly.

_1st September, 1991_.

Panic was beginning to rise within Harry, his ears felt uncomfortably warm and he tried his best not to look directly at any adults passing him by in a rush. Prior experiences with uncle Vernon abandoning him had taught him that sometimes people tended to be nosy about what such a young child was doing alone in public.

He clutched his trolley tightly and glanced into Hedwig’s amber eyes. They looked back at him as if she were offering comfort.

“-Packed with muggles, of course-“ Harry swung around and found the speaker to be a plump woman speaking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. He realized they were also pushing trolleys and one of the older boys had an owl as well.

He followed them closely, nearly shouting out loud when the oldest disappeared between the two platforms. He kept his eyes glued to every movement each of the next two boys made as well, and after the third had gone through, he approached the woman.

“Excuse me,” Harry tried his best to sound confident, and something about the woman made him feel comfortable. She recognized him as a Hogwarts student almost immediately. How, he didn’t quite know.

“-Ron’s new too” He glanced at the youngest boy, who was tall, and had a smattering of freckles all over his face. Harry smiled at the boy, and then looked at the woman.

“I noticed how the other boys walked straight through the wall there.” He lowered his voice a notch. “is that the way to platform nine and three quarters?”

“Aren’t you a smart one, then.” The woman said kindly. “Don’t stop and don’t be scared or you’ll crash into it. Best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous. Go on, go now before Ron.” But Harry didn’t feel nervous at all, just a little excited.

As he turned his trolley towards the wall, he realized his parents must have done this for the first time at some point when they went to school as well. What he didn’t realize was, while of course, the barrier was solid to muggles or those who were overly nervous, Harry Potter was most definitely the last person it would remain closed to. It recognized Harry Potter’s blood as it had done so for every generation of his family.

Passing through the barrier felt like everything and nothing at the same time. He kept his eyes wide open, and at one moment, he was heading towards a brick wall, and the next he was gazing at a scarlet steam engine.

~

“Hey mum, guess what? Guess who we met on the train?” One of the twins spoke excitedly to the plump woman after Harry had gotten in. Scared the entire platform had heard, Harry ducked out of the way.

He hadn’t realized he would be this famous. Did that mean, the boy whose name was etched between his ribs knew who he was too? He touched the spot lightly, something he had done all of his life as a comfort, and realized he might meet his Draco Malfoy sooner than he expected.

Moments after the train had taken off, the door of the compartment Harry was sitting in slid open. “Anyone sitting there?” It was the youngest red headed boy. Harry shook his head and watched cautiously as the boy situated himself.

At least Harry knew that this was not Draco. The woman had called him Ron. He was introduced to the twins, who came in moments later and were gone as fast as they appeared, and then Harry Potter got down to learning about his new friend, Ron Weasley, who as fate would have it, would be his best friend for life.

After establishing Harry Potter really was Harry potter, the boys fell into easy banter about the wizarding world, each finding the other endlessly fascinating.

“So, do you know who your soulmate is?” Ron asked much later on with a mouth full of pumpkin pasties harry had bought off the trolley. Harry subconsciously touched his rib again and nodded, not offering up the name. He glanced down at the two chocolate frog cards he now had, both empty of its occupants.

“Well, I hope I meet mine today.” Ron said with a grin, not telling Harry whose name he had either. The conversation mellowed down to Ron’s rat, and how it was a hand-me-down from Percy, his older brother.

Harry glanced at the animal snoozing on Ron’s lap and felt a little uncomfortable with the animal’s appearance. It was fat and ugly, but it was also a rat so harry paid it no mind.

There was a sudden knock on their compartment door and a boy walked in, one Harry had noticed on the platform earlier. He was looking for his toad. Once the boy had established that his toad was not hiding under the growing mound of chocolate wrappers between the two of them, he left, immediately knocking on the next compartment.

Harry wondered if this was Draco and secretly hoped not. “Speaking of pets, I tried to turn Scabbers yellow the other day, but it didn’t really work.” Ron rummaged through his trunk to pull out an equally battered-looking wand.

“Unicorn hair’s nearly poking out. Anyway-“ the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy had brought a girl with him.

“Has anyone seen a toad? Neville’s lost one.” She said in a bossy voice.

“We already told him we haven’t seen it,” Ron replied sounding annoyed. Harry was just glad the toadless boy was named Neville and not Draco. The girl, having noticed Ron’s wand,

“Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it then.” She sat down in the compartment with them and gazed importantly at Ron who looked a little more than peeved.

“Er- all right.” He cleared his throat. ‘Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.’ He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.

“Are you sure that’s a real spell?’ said the girl. “Well, it’s not very good, is it? I’ve tried a few simple spells just for practice and it’s all worked for me. Nobody in my family’s magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it’s the very best school of witchcraft there is, I’ve heard – I’ve learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?”

Ron had gone a little pale, Harry couldn’t tell if it was because he was annoyed his spell didn’t work or because of how fast the girl had spoken.

“I’m Harry Potter.” Harry offered quietly, still looking at Ron.

“Are you really?” Hermione said, looking impressed. “I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading…” And she went on again. Harry felt like his brain was getting too crowded until Ron muttered,

“My name is Ron Weasley.” The girl stopped abruptly in the middle of explaining a book called _Modern Magical History_ and stared at Ron.

“What?”

“My name’s Ron Weasley.” Ron said a little louder, looking at her right in the eye. Harry wondered if he was missing something.

“Do you two know each oth-“

“I read about soulmates, but I didn’t think I would meet mine so soon.” There, along her right index finger, was the name _Ron Weasley_ written in a messy red scrawl. Harry immediately glanced at Ron, who was holding up his hand too. He suddenly wished Hermione hadn’t come in looking for Neville’s toad.

“So do soulmate names show up at the same place?” Harry asked curiously, glancing from Ron to Hermione. Hermione broke her gaze away from Ron to Harry as if she was suddenly realizing he was there as well.

“Yes, yes they do.” She took in a breath. “Do either of you know what house you’ll be in?” She asked suddenly, but before either one of them could reply, “I’ve been asking around and I hope I’m in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn’t be too bad… Anyway, we’d better go and look for Neville’s toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we’ll be there soon.” And she was gone as fast as she had arrived. Ron blinked twice as if to shake himself awake from a daze.

“Did she just leave?” Ron asked in the general direction of the door. Harry didn’t know how to answer, and the crestfallen look on Ron’s face made him wish he hadn’t wished for Hermione to go away.

“Maybe she’s really committed to finding Neville’s toad?”

“Bullocks. She could have stayed. She’s my soul mate for Merlin’s sake!” Harry stood up to find his robes from his trunk to change, wondering what he could say to make Ron feel a little better.

“I bet she got nervous. Are soulmates supposed to spend all their time together?” Ron looked thoughtful at the question and shook his head slowly.

“I suppose not.” He pulled out his own robes and glared at the material. “Whatever house I’m in, I hope she’s not in it.” Harry widened his eyes at Ron but didn’t say anything.

~

Elsewhere on the train, whispers had already reached a compartment carrying Draco Malfoy that Harry Potter was on the train. At first, he felt a wave of panic threaten to overwhelm him, but as Crabbe and Goyle began to conspire about how Harry was probably aligned to the dark lord, Draco felt himself relax a little.

He knew that Harry Potter was not aligned to the dark lord, he knew more about Harry Potter than he wanted to, courtesy of his mother and her constant pleas to him to not reveal who his soulmate was to anyone, including his father.

His father.

Draco wasn’t close to his father, but he desperately wanted to be. At first, he had hoped Harry Potter wouldn’t show up at Hogwarts, but his mother had warned him he would be, and had told him to stay as far away from Harry Potter as possible.

“Let’s go visit this Harry Potter then.” Draco chimed in with a grin.

~

He had expected anyone at all except for the boy he had met at Madam Malkin’s in the compartment.

“Is it true?” He asked the startled looking boy, “they’re saying all down the train that Harry Potter’s in the compartment. So, it’s you, is it?” He wished the boy would shake his no, but Harry Potter was not the kind to do so.

“Yes.” He looked from Crabbe to Goyle on either side of him and then back at Draco.

“Oh, this is Crabbe and Goyle.” Draco watched Harry intently before he revealed who he was. “And my name’s Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” If Harry recognized him at all, he didn’t respond. He only stared at Draco as if they didn’t have each other’s names written on them. His friend, however had the audacity to snigger.

Draco almost didn’t take the bait, but Goyle’s stare on him felt red hot. “You’ll soon find out that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter.” He cringed internally at what he said. He sounded just like his father. He didn’t want to be friends with Harry Potter either, he realized.

Well at least, he couldn’t. If Crabbe or Goyle realized what Harry meant to him, his father would know, and his father couldn’t know.

“Yeah I can see which families are better for myself, thanks.” Harry sniped back, and Draco momentarily felt an ache in his stomach.

“I’d be careful if I were you, Potter,’ he said slowly. “Unless you’re a bit politer you’ll go the same way as your parents. They didn’t know what was good for them, either.” He immediately knew that he had gone too far by the way Harry took in a sudden breath, but his friend immediately stood up as if to fight.

“Say that again.” The Weasley said. Draco watched Harry get up as well and immediately knew the two of them wouldn’t stand a chance against Crabbe and Goyle.

“Oh, you’re going to fight us, are you?” He heard Crabbe crack his knuckles and knew he had to stop it now.

“Unless you get out, right now.” Harry replied, finally having gotten over the shock of what Draco had said. Draco chuckled and pulled his two friends away.

“As if we’d waste our breath on you.” He let the compartment door slide shut behind them as they made their way back to their compartment. Draco held back a little to hear a part of Harry and Ron’s conversation.

“‘I’ve heard of his family,’ said Ron darkly. ‘They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they’d been bewitched.” If only Ron knew that his father still was.

~

Harry was following Percy with the rest of the Gryffindor first years, tired to the bone after his first supper at Hogwarts when a hand pulled him into an alcove. He nearly screamed but the same hand fastened around his mouth firmly before he could do so.

“Don’t talk, Potter.” A familiar voice drawled from behind him. Harry felt his stomach drop. He wasn’t exactly sure if it was fear or excitement though. The boy removed his hand so Harry could turn around to face Draco Malfoy.

“I’m sorry about what I said on the train earlier.” Harry glared at the boy, trying to find some dishonestly on his face. “We can’t be friends in public. I think I’ll write to you this week,” Draco explained quietly, focusing on anywhere but Harry’s face.

“Okay, then.” Harry muttered back, not entirely convinced. Draco nodded tersely before leaving him there, following a group of Slytherin students away from Harry.

He watched that blonde head disappear for a few minutes before he realized he still didn’t know how to get to his own dorm. Harry had to race to catch up with the first years, still bewildered at the exchange.

He listened to Ron rave a little about Hermione being in the same house as them but harry knew Ron was grateful she was. It made him think back about begging the sorting hat not to sort him into Slytherin. At the time, he had done that because he didn’t want to be anywhere near Malfoy, and sure, he had been influenced by what everyone around him had been saying since he had gotten on the train, but now he wondered if he had been on Slytherin he could have seen his soulmate more often.

When Harry finally drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of pale silver eyes.


	2. Three Gryffindors and a Slytherin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Harry become best friends, and Draco is slowly introduced into the golden trio's friend group.  
> Narcissa endures another year with Lucius.
> 
> TW: Mention of rape/dubious consent

Why oh _why_ was Harry Potter such an idiot? Draco stood in front of the mirror, glaring at the golden script on his torso. All his life, the words had been dull, almost yellow. Now it stood as gold as ever, stark against his skin. Of course, the scrawl would be in gold, it was Harry Potter after all.

Draco had tried to compose the promised letter all week, but he simply didn’t know what to tell Harry. Well, he did have a lot to say but didn’t exactly know how to put them into words. He knew Dobby was around the castle somewhere and knew that the house-elf could be used to deliver the note if necessary, but he couldn’t quite gather up the courage to approach Harry.

He dried himself off and got dressed for bed before heading to his dormitory. He knew he had double potions tomorrow with the Gryffindors and hoped he would steal harry away afterward.

~

Potions was a miserable class, and Ron was fuming by the end of it. It wasn’t because of Snape’s general displeasure of Gryffindors, but his particular dislike towards Hermione Granger. Before Ron could catch up to Hermione, who with glassy eyes, simply fled the class as soon as Snape deemed the lesson over.

“Should I go check on her?” Ron asked Harry as the two packed their books up, both feeling rather drained. Harry immediately nodded and then watched his friend race after Hermione.

Harry himself was just exiting the class when Draco Malfoy fell into step next to him.

“Meet me by the lake.” The boy was gone before Harry could say anything more. Harry hurriedly climbed up the stairs of the dungeon, and instead of moving towards the great hall, he took a hallway to the left to the courtyard and out towards the lake.

The day was warm, and the sun shone down on the grey waves, making it look like a kaleidoscope of silver and blue. He noticed the blonde boy sitting against a tree by the lake and hurried toward him, grateful no one else was around.

“Hi,” Harry muttered quietly as he sat down next to Draco, who had a plate heaping full of sandwiches next to him.

“Hello. Sandwich?” Harry helped himself to one, noticing two bottles of pumpkin juice next to the plate as well. They didn’t talk for the longest time, just stared out into the lake while they ate, enjoying each other’s company. Harry sensed that Draco wanted to talk but didn’t rush him. He realized he missed the boy who couldn’t quite shut up back at Madam Malkin’s.

“The reason why I said we couldn’t be friends in public,” Draco began after finishing his second ham sandwich, “is if my father finds out, he will kill us both.” It would have been just an exaggerated statement if the conversation were happening between anyone else, but Harry understood the gravity of it immediately. “He supports you-know-who, you know. He’s not a bad guy, I swear,” Harry doubted it, but if Draco insisted, he could follow, “It’s just- it’s complicated.”

“Can we be friends in secret then?” Draco looked at Harry for the first time, and Harry felt very warm suddenly.

“Yes, Harry, yes we can.”

Harry reached for another sandwich, realizing the plate replenished itself as they ate. “I wish our marks were more visible, I heard they glow, or flowers sprout up around them when you’re around your soulmate.” Draco went a little pink but nodded in agreement. “But its helpful in hiding it too, I guess, given our current situation.”

“What colour is my name? On the mark, I mean,” Harry smiled at the boy sitting next to him.

“Black, it’s always been black, but now its got a shine to it.”

“Black but not like other blacks, is it?” Draco joked.

“Just like how you’re Slytherin but not like other Slytherins.” Harry piped back.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing, just that you’re slightly less of a prick.”

“Potter!” Before Harry knew it, they were wrestling on the grass, and Harry laughed as he tried to get Draco off him. The boys rolled around, undoubtedly getting grass stains over everything, but at the moment, neither one of them really cared.

They sat panting next to each other for a while, legs still intertwined. “What’s my colour then?” Harry asked Draco, his gaze on the cloudless blue sky above them.

“Gold for the golden boy,” Draco responded. Harry playfully jabbed Draco’s side but didn’t take the bait.

“How has your first week been?”

“It’s been alright. I have way too much homework to do.” Harry scrunched up his face when he thought of his first transfiguration essay due the next week. “Did professor McGonagall give you guys an essay too?”

“She did! I’m almost done with mine though.”

“What?” Harry turned over and stared at Draco incredulously. “I didn’t know you were that much of a nerd.” Draco smiled back at him, knowing Harry hadn’t meant it in an unkind way.

“It’s not that difficult. My mom hired a tutor for me last year so most of what we’re doing in school isn’t new.” Harry glared at Draco and turned back to the sky.

“You’re so lucky. I barely knew about magic until a month ago.” As much as Draco wanted to interject and disagree with Harry, he didn’t. He supposed he _was_ lucky in ways, especially to have his mother.

“I can help you with your essay if you want?” Draco offered quietly.

“I’d like that, Draco.”

“Meet me at the library tomorrow morning then?” Before Harry could respond, he heard a bell go off in the castle, signaling the end of lunch hour. Both boys scrambled up, gathering their book bags.

“What do you have after lunch?” Draco yelled as they began to run back.

“Herbology, I think. What about you?”

“Defense Against the dark Arts. See you tomorrow?”

“See you!”

Harry raced all the way to the greenhouses to see Ron standing outside looking rather miffed. “Where have you been, mate?” Ron asked incredulously as Harry dusted grass off his robes. Harry shrugged quietly.

“I got lost on my way back.” Both boys knew it was a lie, but Ron didn’t say anything more. Harry was thankful the boy didn’t.

“Did you catch up with Hermione?” He asked as he took his book bag back and they entered the greenhouse.

“No. She wasn’t at lunch either.” The two boys situated themselves towards the back as they watched students filter in through the doors. Ron looked away when Hermione came in as well. “A note came for you during lunch by the way.” Ron handed Harry a folded piece of parchment that contained Hagrid’s invitation to tea.

~

It took everything in Harry not to run to the library at the crack of dawn the next day. He was excited to talk to Draco about what Hagrid had revealed about the Gringotts’ break-in the previous evening over tea. He saw Draco with his book bag before he reached the library, though, and followed the boy quietly into an alcove.

“Hermione Granger’s in there,” Draco whispered to Harry, eyes darting around the empty hallway. “How about we go back to yesterday’s spot?” Harry nodded eagerly and the two boys took off, keeping a distance between them but still walking side-by-side.

“Have you had breakfast?” Draco asked again as they entered the grounds, heading quickly towards the cover of the trees that shaded them off from the rest of the castle, facing the lake.

“No, not yet. I was too excited to meet you.” Draco grinned at Harry and nodded.

“Dobby, can we get some breakfast?”

“Who’s Dobby?” Harry asked Draco curiously. Draco went on to explain how the house-elf was his protector, and then about what house-elves were.

The boys had settled down on the grass with their books spread out when a picnic basket appeared in front of them. Harry opened it delightedly to find a pitcher full of orange juice, croissants, cheese, a tub of butter, sausages, bacon, and grilled tomatoes. The younger boy wasn’t slow in beginning to stuff his face. Draco only watched him in amusement.

“I have some news, though,” Harry told Draco after he had slowed down his eating. He explained the Gringotts robbery to Draco, telling him about Harry’s visit that day with Hagrid as well.

“It’s likely Dumbledore sent for Hagrid to retrieve something important from Gringotts,” Draco responded, chewing on a piece of cheese. “Hagrid probably removed it before the robbers got there, though.”

“Isn’t Gringotts supposed to be unbreakable?” Harry asked curiously.

“Not for dark wizards, Harry,” Harry noticed how Draco suddenly became closed off, and they finished their breakfast in silence before turning to their books.

~

“Where have you been mate?” Ron asked Harry again as he showed up at lunch, later on, looking a little flustered. He noticed Draco inconspicuously slide into his place between Crabbe and Goyle and quickly tore his gaze away.

“I was in the library. Wanted to start on that transfigurations essay.” He noticed Hermione glance at him, but she went back to her food almost immediately as Ron began to complain about said essay.

~

Harry and Draco didn’t get to meet until next Thursday when the Slytherins had their first flying lessons with the Gryffindors. Thursday morning, Harry had a note from Draco, which had been sitting next to his usual spot on the Gryffindor table at breakfast. Harry hid it quickly tucking the warm parchment in his robes.

He didn’t like the interaction with Neville’s Remembrall and Draco. He hated the way Draco behaved in public but knew he had to endure it. He only wished his friends would know how nice Draco really was.

Harry sat on a bathroom stall much later into the day, eyes scouring over Draco’s writing.

_Hi Harry,_

_I’m excited for today’s flying lessons. Aren’t you? I had a broom back home and I’ve practiced loads on it, so hopefully everything goes well today. Flying is my absolute favorite thing to do, just you wait, you will love it. The feel of the wind in your face as you fly is absolutely wonderful._

_See you later today,_

_D.M._

~

‘HARRY POTTER!’ His heart sank faster than he’d just dived. Professor McGonagall was running towards them. He got to his feet, trembling. ‘Never – in all my time at Hogwarts –’ Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously,’ – how dare you – might have broken your neck –’ Harry immediately knew his and Draco’s banter and swinging the Remembrall around had gotten too far.

He took a last look at Draco before he followed professor McGonagall.

~

Harry could barely sleep that night, he was too excited by the news of becoming seeker, and he knew by tomorrow morning, the whole school would know too.

He suddenly heard tiny footsteps and sat up in bed. Through a gap in his bed curtains, Harry could see that Ron was fast asleep in his own bed, and reached for his wand under the pillow. Before he could do anything, a piece of parchment floated onto his lap, and he immediately knew it wasn’t an invader in their dorm, but Dobby.

_Meet me in the trophy room. -D_

Harry slid out of bed as quietly as possible, sliding into his dressing gown and slippers before quietly slipping out of the boys’ dorm. He didn’t notice Hermione buried under a pile of books as he passed by, in too much of a hurry to get out. In the dark hallways, he clutched the lamp he stole off a wall and kept an eye out for Filch or his cat.

Overall, he arrived at the trophy room unscathed.

“Hi Harry.” Draco looked as flushed as Harry did, and took Harry’s hand in his own to lead him away from the trophy room. Harry didn’t ask questions, only allowed himself to be lead away. He knew he would follow Draco anywhere. Harry was surprised when Draco lead him into the kitchens though.

“it’s safe here. All the house-elves have gone to bed. It’s only Dobby and us here.” Bursting with questions, Harry looked around for the infamous Dobby, who he didn’t spot amongst the numerous pots and pans laid to rest.

“Hogwarts has house elves?” Harry asked quietly, allowing himself to be, once again, lead to a dumpy little couch by the fireplace. It reminded him of the couches in the Gryffindor common room but realized it was much more comfortable when he sat down on it. The couch seemed to embrace him and Draco.

“Yes,” Draco responded patiently. “They are the ones who cook our meals and cleans the whole castle.” Harry felt very warm and comfortable next to Draco.

“Do you want something to eat, Harry?” Draco asked quietly, and Harry only nodded, still gazing into the fire. A stool, two glasses of milk, and a heaping plate of cookies appeared between them almost immediately.

“Congratulations on becoming the seeker,” Draco muttered, edging closer to Harry. Harry laid his head on Draco’s shoulder and smiled.

“I honestly thought I was going to get expelled.”

“So did I, that’s why I went looking for professor McGonagall to explain why you were flying.” Harry looked up at Draco suddenly, a smile etched on his face.

“What did she say?”

“She offered me a biscuit.” Harry couldn’t stop laughing at that.

“You didn’t have to be mean and steal Neville’s Remembrall you know?”

“It was fun though, admit it.” Harry only laughed in agreement. “I got you something.” Harry looked up to see that Draco had brought a book called _Quidditch Through the Ages_ with him. It had pictures of men on brooms, whizzing by each other. “I thought we could read it, so you know more about quidditch before you play.” Harry felt his heart warm.

“Thank you, Draco.” The two boys sat in silence for a while, mostly looking at the pictures, and Draco explaining something to Harry every now and again. Somewhere through the night, a blanket had found itself onto their laps, and Harry had fallen asleep cuddled to Draco’s side not soon after.

“Harry.” He opened his eyes to see Draco smiling down at him. “It’s almost midnight. You should go back.” Harry grumbled quietly and rubbed his eyes.

“But why can’t we fall asleep here?”

“You know why,” Draco responded gently. Harry grumbled some more. The two boys stumbled off to their respective dorms, both too sleepy to stay much longer. It was just Harry’s luck that he crashed into Ron, Hermione, and Neville on his way back.

“Harry!” Hermione’s face looked worried in the dark. “Where have you been!”

“I- what-“ Harry felt himself sputter out, his gaze moving from Ron to Hermione, to Neville, who all looked very worried.

“I was studying in the common room when I noticed you leave,” Hermione explained. Harry internally groaned at not realizing Hermione would be there. “I supposed you were going for a walk but you never came back!” She looked very worried then. “I had to wake Ron and come looking for you.”

“I-“ Harry felt himself growing very hot, but he knew he would admit to dark magic before giving up Draco’s secret.

Ron sighed, looking peeved. “Let’s just go back.”

It wasn’t going to be that simple. They hadn’t gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled, and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them. It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

~

Harry woke up the next morning not quite able to decipher the events of the previous night. The four of them had faced a giant three-headed dog, and barely escaped from it. He hadn’t been able to tell Ron or Hermione where he had disappeared to, but Hermione wasn’t speaking to any of them anymore, exceptionally annoyed at the amount of trouble they got into the previous night.

Ron seemed a little annoyed too. Harry knew it was mostly because Hermione kept ignoring him, but he also knew it was because harry wouldn’t tell him where Harry kept disappearing to. He had known Ron for long enough to know that the boy was extremely loyal, and figured he deserved to know the truth. But Harry knew he had to ask Draco first.

He raced to the owlery the moment it was dawn, aware that he was also pissing off Hedwig by not using her to send his letter, but he knew she would be recognized.

_Draco,_

_Ron is growing increasingly suspicious of where I am disappearing to. Should I tell him? He’s very loyal and I’m sure he will not tell anyone else if I ask him to. I promise._

_We got into a big adventure last night, I’ll tell you the details when we meet. How about today after potions, at our usual spot?_

_H_

_Ps. Last night was great._

He got his reply during breakfast as he and Ron were discussing what the three-headed dog may have been guarding under the trap door. Neither Neville nor Hermione seemed to be interested, and Hermione was refusing to talk to them again.

_Yes, you can tell Ron. See you later today._

_Ps. Dobby asked what you would like for lunch._

“What can you tell me?” Ron asked curiously, having read the letter over Harry’s shoulder. Before Harry could respond, more owls flooded the great hall. Everyone’s attention was drawn to a long thin package carried by six screech owls.

Harry didn’t have the time to respond as Ron’s attention was diverted by the knowledge that he was in the presence of a Nimbus 2000.

~

Draco watched Harry receive a package and already knew what was in it. He knew the shape of a broom when he saw one. He felt a little tug of envy at the fact that Harry would get to play quidditch when he didn’t but felt very excited for Harry at the same time.

Potions was Draco’s favorite class, but he grew increasingly upset as Professor Snape kept making unkind jabs at Harry and his friends, taking points away from Gryffindor for no reason. He wondered if he could complain about Snape to his father, but knew Lucius couldn’t care any less.

After Potions, Draco sped away from his friends and headed towards his spot with Harry, surprised to see Ron was with him. He noticed the _Nimbus 2000_ nestled between the two boys as well and ran towards them.

“Hi Harry.” Draco felt a little shy at Ron’s presence but understood why Ron had to know.

“Hi Draco,” Harry responded, looking from Ron to Draco curiously. Ron, on the other hand, looked very baffled.

“So it’s true then. You two are soul mates!” Draco nodded.

“You do understand why it has to be a secret, don’t you, Weasley?”

“Of course I do, Malfoy.” Ron glared at him a little.

“Okay, you two. Settle down.” Harry sounded placating. “Draco, we discovered the most curious thing last night-“ And Harry went on to explain the three-headed dog and the trap door. Forgetting his animosity towards Weasley, the three boys fell into an easy banter, theorizing and joking around. Draco even felt himself even warming up to Ron, who completely turned a page and opened up once Dobby’s basket of food appeared.

Draco absolutely detested the bell that rang, signifying the end of his time with Harry and Ron. He hadn’t realized how much he craved for an honest friendship like the one Harry and Ron offered until today. Crabbe and Goyle were fine, but they treated him more like a master, someone they were scared to piss off. Draco also knew that every single thing Draco spoke about to the two of them was being written back to their fathers.

Harry held back a little as Ron began to walk towards the castle again.

“Are you okay, Draco?”

Draco shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be.”

“You look sad,” Harry said quietly, still looking up at him as if he expected Draco to confess something.

“I’m fine, Harry.” He didn’t mean to be rude, and he didn’t mean to hurt Harry, but he suddenly wished he had a different life. That he wasn’t his father’s son. “Good luck with quidditch practice today.” He added more gently as they began to walk back.

Harry nodded in thanks but didn’t say anything more as he ran back to catch up with Ron. Draco wished Harry would walk with him to his next class and never leave his side.

~

_Hi mum,_

_How are you? I hope your roses are doing well. Is father still at home or is he still exploring in Albania? I hope the two of you are getting along better now too. Everything is great at Hogwarts. Lessons are very easy. Professor McGonagall gave us our essays back and I scored a hundred and two percent on it. She told me I had the highest grade in the year. I read the last book you sent me about transfiguration. It really helped with the essay. I was wondering if you could send one about zombies. Quirrell really hasn’t been very good at explaining anything. He has a terrible lisp._

_Harry Potter is the seeker of the Gryffindor team. I think it’s rather unfair, really. I wish I could be on Slytherin’s team. He got a new nimbus 2000 too._

_Say hello to grandfather for me._

_Love,_

_Draco._

Narcissa read the letter twice before penning her reply. She had almost handed the letter to the familiar dark feathered owl when the upstairs study door opened with a bang. She abandoned her desk, stood up hastily, and fixed her hair before going to face her husband.

“Narcissa!” Lucius looked older than his real age, grey streaks in his blonde hair.

“Yes, dear?”

“Fix me some brandy, would you?” She hurried to his side, already smelling the alcohol on him. She worked quickly in opening a new bottle of mead and pouring him a glass full. She eyed the open pages of the leather-bound diary with dislike but knew there was nothing she could do against it.

“I’ve been thinking,” Lucius said with a smirk, sipping his brandy, “we should have more children.” Narcissa squeaked, staring at her soul mate with her mouth open a little.

“The dark lord has told me of the importance of having more pureblood children in the world today.” Lucius offered as an explanation. He stood up and circled her, and she felt none of the romance nor anticipation she used to with him. Only cold dead fear.

“Go to my chambers and be ready.” He drowned the rest of his drink and poured himself some more. “I will be there soon.”

~

_Dear Draco,_

_My roses are doing well, and your father and I are getting along amicably. I’m very proud of you for doing well in your transfigurations class. It was your father’s favorite class too, during his school days. I am sending you a book on zombies with this letter. I hope it will help with your DADA class. Please let me know if Professor Quirrell is not being a good teacher. Your father and I want you to get a good quality of education and I believe it is unreasonable of Professor Dumbledore to hire a teacher who cannot teach well._

_We will buy you a Nimbus 2001 when you return for Christmas, son. You can play some quidditch in the gardens if the weather permits it. I am sure you will be in the Slytherin team next year. I know how talented you are._

_Your grandfather says hello back, and says he misses you._

_Love,_

_Mum._

__  
  


_Halloween, 1991._

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way back to the Gryffindor common room, Harry noticed Ron and Hermione holding hands and finally felt happy for his two friends. The night’s ordeal with the troll hadn’t been an easy one, but he couldn’t help but feel a spark of jealousy at the ease with which Ron and Hermione spent time together.

_Mid- November 1991_

Draco looked up from his DADA essay at Harry and Ron taking turns on Harry’s broom. Harry would be playing his very first quidditch match tomorrow. They were, once again at their usual hiding spot, secluded from the rest of the castle by trees and Dobby’s magic. Hermione sat next to him, her own nose inside a book. The days were getting colder, and although they had cast several warming charms, all four of them were well bundled up.

“Did you reference all of the books you used for this essay?” Draco asked Hermione before dipping his quill in the inkpot that was placed between them.

“Yes. I used four, including the one your mother sent.” Draco hummed as he went back to writing, still aware of his soulmate and his best friend taking turns jumping off the broom which was hanging mid-air.

“Those two are going to hurt themselves,” Hermione complained, snapping her book shut with a huff.

“When don’t they, though?” Draco laughed, easing away Hermione’s anger. She smiled at him in response.

“I’m glad you are Harry’s mate.” Draco looked away from his essay at the bushy-haired witch. “And I feel like the four of us are a great group. I’m glad you’re our friend, Draco.” Draco felt himself go very red, but Hermione went on. “You complete us in a way we didn’t know we needed.”

Alas, it was true. Draco finally felt a sense of belonging with these three Gryffindors than he ever had his entire life.

~

The next morning, Harry, Draco, Ron, and Hermione were standing near the quidditch pitch. It was absolutely freezing and Hermione had conjured a bright blue fire in a jar as the four of them poured over Draco’s copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_. Draco was about to say something when Dobby popped up amongst them for the first time, large eyes fearful.

“Master Malfoy, you must hide. Severus Snape is coming this way.” Draco barely had the time to duck under the bleachers before Snape came limping by.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn’t be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape’s eye. He limped over. He hadn’t seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

“What’s that you’ve got there, Potter?” It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.

“That is Draco Malfoy’s copy of the book.” Snape snarled, flipping the book to its first page to reveal the Malfoy crest upon it. “Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor.”

“He really is a prick,” Draco commented from his hiding place after Snape had limped away, making Harry laugh and pull him up. “He’ll probably come looking for me to give my book back.” Draco was already heading back towards the castle. “I’ll see you at the match, Harry!” the three of them watched Draco runoff before slowly making it back to the castle themselves.

~

During the quidditch game, Draco managed to get to Snape faster than Ron and Hermione, though. Setting Snape’s cape on fire, which disturbed both professors Quirrell and Flitwick sitting beside him, effectively saved Harry from his manic broom. Hermione gave him a thumbs up from the other side of the stands and they went back to cheering for Slytherin and Gryffindor, respectively.

~

On the day of the first snow, sometime close to Christmas, Harry quietly snuck into the Slytherin common room. The sun wasn’t even up yet, and the boy was starting to grow recklessly bold in wanting to see Draco. He had known the password for a long time because he and Draco liked to joke around about sneaking into each other’s dorms. Harry felt thrilled at actually being able to do it.

The descent down to the dungeons was very cold, and Harry was beginning to regret not bringing his dressing gown, but after he entered the common room, the temperature increased considerably. He stared wide-eyed at a few mermaids that swam past the semi-submerged windows, the waters of the lake were a surprisingly clear blue.

He quietly snuck even deeper down towards the dormitories, having to peep into several before he spotted the one with Draco inside, deeply asleep. Harry realized Draco shared his dorm with two other boys, both of whom had already left for the Christmas holidays.

Of course, reckless Harry knew this.

He shut the door behind him quietly and cast a _muffliato_ on it before tip-toeing to Draco’s side. He climbed into bed quietly, and laid next to Draco, staring out the window into the depths of the great lake.

“’arry?”

“Hmmm.” Harry murmured, finally warm.

“Harry did you sneak into my bed!” Draco was wide awake now, but Harry Potter was hardly conscious. The boy was deep beneath two velvet blankets and a plush quilt Narcissa had sent for Draco, surrounded by a familiar smell, and finally next to his soul mate.

“That’s the last time I’m telling you the Slytherin password, Harry.” Draco grumbled, but Harry could not hear anything the older boy said. Draco watched Harry for a little while, and was about to drift back to sleep himself when Harry shifted and his shirt rode up. For the first time in his life, Draco saw his name etched onto Harry’s bronzed skin.

The letters were glowing silver, surrounded by miniscule white roses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I might be able to finish first year, but alas, the chapter was getting too long.  
> I hope you enjoyed reading this!xx


	3. Trouble in Paradise?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Slapping a child

Harry woke up the next morning feeling a little too well-rested. He stretched happily on the bed and stared out the window, expecting his usual view of the school grounds. Instead, a kelpie was bumping again and again against the glass and his view of the school grounds was replaced by the inside of the great lake. Harry shot up in bed to come face to face with Draco, who had already showered and dressed and was reading a book on the edge of the bed.

“I really did sneak into the Slytherin dorms last night,” Harry mumbled, going a little red.

“I know you probably missed me, but may I ask why?” Draco asked, snapping his book shut.

“I had a bad dream.” Harry was fidgeting with the blanket in his hands.

“You’re lucky almost everyone’s gone home for the holidays.” Draco sighed. “Just let me know beforehand so we don’t get caught, okay?”

“Okay, Draco.” Harry smiled up at his soulmate sleepily before slipping out of bed.

“Is the coast clear for me to go back, Dobby?” The little elf apparated to Draco’s dorm and nodded, leaving to lead Harry back to his own before he got caught.

~

Later that morning, the four met up at their usual spot by the great lake, bundled up. There was a small campfire roaring, and Dobby had done his best to make the spot winter friendly, but it was still too damp for any of them to sit down and actually spend time there.

“We need to find a better spot to meet up in the winter.” Hermione sighed. They had hurried outside right after breakfast and knew that the bell for their morning classes would ring any moment. It was the last day of class before Winter break.

“I’ll ask Dobby to find somewhere,” Draco responded quietly.

“Are you sure Snape is trying to steal whatever Fluffy is hiding?” He followed up.

“Yes. He even had a bite on his leg. AND he tried to kill Harry at the quidditch match.” Ron glared at the fire.

“I’m going home tonight, so I’ll try to scour our library for this Nicholas Flamel. You guys keep looking for him in the school library.” Draco told them, and Harry and Ron nodded eagerly.

“Write to me and keep me updated then.” Hermione was also not going to be at Hogwarts for Christmas. She was going to France with her parents. Before Draco could reply, the morning bell rang, and they rushed back towards the castle. They all had Potions together and ran all the way to the dungeons.

“Potter. Granger. Weasley.” Snape drawled as they entered. He completely ignored Draco and allowed him to shuffle to his cauldron. “You’re late.” Snape looked, even more, greasier than usual.

“But Professor,” Hermione interjected. “Classes start at 9. It’s not 9 yet.”

“You are expected to be here before me,” Snape said silkily, glaring at Hermione. “Five points from Gryffindor.” The three went in boiling with rage.

“I hate Snape,” Harry said hotly under his breath before Snape began his usual drawl about herbs and potions.

_December 25th, 1991_

“Happy Christmas,” Ron told Harry sleepily as he scrambled out of bed and pulled on his dressing gown. It was nearly a week since Draco had left, and Harry was missing him terribly.

“You too.” Said, Harry. “You too,’ said Harry. ‘Will you look at this? I’ve got some presents!’

  
‘What did you expect, turnips?’ said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry’s.

Harry loved Hagrid’s flute and blew on it a little before unwrapping the fifty pence the Dursley’s had sent. Ron was absolutely fascinated by the piece of muggle money.

Harry felt so happy unwrapping Mrs. Weasley’s jumper, followed by Hermione’s chocolate frogs. This was by far the most presents he had ever received in his life, and he had two more presents to unwrap!

The next one was wrapped in silver wrapping paper, with a bit of tinsel stuck to it. A note containing a familiar scrawl was at the top of the pile. Harry’s heart immediately warmed. He glanced at Ron to see his best friend smiling.

_Merry Christmas,_   
_They are supposed to adjust as you grow so they will fit you forever!_   
_D_

“Go on. Open it.” Harry ripped open the paper as carefully as possible to reveal a pair of gloves with his name embroidered on one of them with gold thread.

“They’re quidditch gloves!” Ron exclaimed, grinning at Harry as he tried it on.

This left only one parcel. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very light as he unwrapped it. Something fluid and silvery grey went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds.

~

  
Draco sat at the foot of his Christmas tree with his mother and grandfather. His father was not at home, but that was usual. Lucius Malfoy was never at home for Christmas. He got the promised Nimbus 2001 from his parents, although he was sure his father didn’t even know his mother had bought it. His mother had gotten him several new robes, all rich shades of navy, purple velvet, and green silk. He secretly wanted to make Harry try the silk robe, knowing it would bring out his eyes beautifully.

His grandfather had given him a set of new quills, enchanted to flow ink in different colors. He thanked his grandfather profusely, already excited to put them to use. After going through more presents, his mother presented him with three more.

“These came in last night by an owl. The sender’s names weren’t there, though they looked like Hogwarts owls.” He took them from his mother, who had a knowing look in her eye.

The first was unmistakably from Hermione. It was a book on transfigurations, a class they both enjoyed immensely. The first page contained a note from her.

So you can beat me fair and square next time!

His mother picked up the book with a smile on her face and added it to the pile of his presents. The next present, which he guessed was Ron’s from how messily it was wrapped, was a huge box of Bertie botts every flavor beans. He popped a red one in his mouth and smiled when he realized it was a cherry.

The last present was the smallest and had a note that said Open when you’re alone. Draco pocketed it, despite his mother giving him a severe look. He realized too late that she recognized the scrawl. They were the same as the name etched on his ribs.  
“Come help me in the kitchen, son.” Draco followed his mother, dread growing.

“Mother, I can explain, it's not-“ She held up a finger to his lips as she carried a heaping plate full of pancakes to the breakfast table. He followed with a pitcher of juice.

“Are you boys keeping it a secret?” She gazed deeply into his eyes. He nodded.

“Do you understand the repercussions if your father finds out?” Draco nodded again, feeling the tears fill in his eyes. There were no words to explain how much he hated his father.

“Draco.” Narcissa had bent down to his level and was hugging him fiercely. He felt a few tears leak out. “Son, I’m sorry I forbade you from seeking out your soulmate. I realize it is an impossible feat.” They just hugged for a long period of time.

“I wish father didn’t exist so-“

“So what?” An icy voice called from the doorway. They broke apart, and Narcissa immediately stood in front of Draco protectively. Lucius Malfoy stood at the entrance with Dobby held by the ear. Draco felt fear rush through him.

“Lucius, I didn’t realize you would be with us today.” His mother’s voice didn’t even shake, but Lucius Malfoy didn’t pay any attention to her.

“Why do you wish your father dead, Draco?” The parcel in Draco’s robe seemed to weigh him down, but he stood up and stepped out of his mother’s shadow anyway.

“Because you’re never here. It’s Christ-“

_Slap._

“LUCIUS,” It was his grandfather. From his place on the floor, Draco watched them draw their wands, but his head hurt too much from the place where it hit the chair.

Later that day, Draco unwrapped Harry’s present from bed. There was a blossoming red bruise on his cheek and a cut on his forehead that had already been healed using a salve. His head still hurt though, and the veil of sadness that had enveloped the house on Christmas day was a familiar one.

Harry had gifted him a silver chain with a pendant of green stone that reminded him strongly of Harry’s eyes. He clutched the chain and cried softly into his pillow until he fell asleep.

_January 1992_

Draco stepped off the train amongst a group of chattering first years. He had ditched Crabbe and Goyle the moment the train stopped at Hogwarts and got into a carriage with a bunch of Hufflepuffs he didn’t know. He wondered briefly if Harry had missed him over Christmas, but didn’t dwell too much on it. Draco hadn’t had a good Christmas, and he felt as withdrawn as he looked.

He couldn’t be apart from Crabbe and Goyle for long though. The two boys found him as soon as they entered the castle and prodded him about what he had gotten for Christmas all the way down to the dormitories. He made the mistake of mentioning the Nimbus 2001 and wasn’t left alone until they each had to go get dressed for dinner.

“Young master looks sad,” Dobby said once the dorm was empty and Draco was sliding into his school robes.

“You know why, Dobby.”

“Maybe master Draco can have dinner with his friends.” The elf’s big eyes shone. “His real friends.” Draco looked down at the elf and felt himself grow a little warm.

“How?”

“Write a letter to meet on the seventh floor. Ask master Harry Potter to think of you and a door will appear.”

Fifteen minutes later, Draco followed Dobby up several staircases, coming to a stop in front of a painting of a wizard in pink and grey robes. At first, there was only a bare wall, but before his very eyes, a door materialized, and Draco was led into it. Inside it was a circular table, spilling with all kinds of delicious food. Four places were set.

A fire roared in the corner, and a few comfortable looking armchairs were scattered around. Draco had barely sat down for a few minutes when the door slid open. He stared at it for a few minutes, seeing the dimly lit hallway beyond, but nobody came in. The door shut on its own accord.

Draco nearly shouted when three heads suddenly materialized as if out of thin air, and finally three bodies. An invisibility cloak!

On any other day, Draco would have admired Harry’s cloak, but instead, he ran right into Harry and hugged him instead. He felt Harry’s surprise first but felt so much better when the other boy’s hands wound tightly around him and reciprocated the hug.

“I missed you, Harry.” He whispered into Harry’s neck and wasn’t exactly sure if Harry heard him until he felt Harry squeeze tighter.

“Bollocks! Look at all this food!” Ron was already beginning to sit down. “Dobby really outdid himself today! It looks as good as the Christmas feast!”

“How was Christmas?” Hermione asked the boys and was surprised when everyone looked a bit sullen.

“Harry?” Draco was more than surprised. He knew his own Christmas break was one of the worst yet, but how could Harry’s have been? He watched his soulmate fidget a little on his seat and grew more concerned. Harry wasn’t the sort to fidget.

“I discovered a mirror.” Harry finally said, looking up into Draco’s eyes. A mirror? He waited patiently for his soulmate to continue. “It’s called the mirror of erised. It shows your deepest desires. I spent most of Christmas break in front of it.” Draco thought he caught what Harry had meant, and he didn’t question what Harry saw, only figured it must have been something that caused Harry pain.

“What about your Christmas break, Draco?” Draco wished he was more like his friends who trusted him completely to tell him everything. He wished he was entirely open like Harry, but alas he was neither.

“My mother got me a Nimbus 2001?” He offered with a signature Slytherin smirk.

“No way, mate!” Ron was the first to begin to fall over himself with excitement and questions, which lifted the atmosphere considerably and also drew Harry out of his thoughts enough to inquire about the broom.

They chatted into the night, all realizing no one had discovered anything about Nicholas Flammel. Draco felt quite frustrated by their lack of improvement it was almost as if they were sitting ducks. He went back to his dorm and sat in bed for hours thinking about what he could do better. His mind felt like a mess. At last, with sleep evading him for hours in bed, he pulled out his new quill set and began to write.

He wanted to title it, to address it, but he didn’t want anyone to read the contents either. Was this a diary entry?

I find it frustrating that there is a giant three-headed dog inside this castle. A school for children, a lot of them who wouldn’t know how to protect themselves if the dog had been set loose.  
Why was there a troll in the dungeons last year? Why couldn’t a great wizard like Dumbledore take down a troll? How did a troll even enter a heavily warded and protected institution such as Hogwarts?  
Why has nobody noticed the fact that Harry’s broom was maimed during that quidditch match? He could have been hurt or worse, killed.

Draco stared at the last sentence and gulped, wondering where his thoughts were taking him.

  
_Who is Nicolas Flamel? Why is the name so familiar yet nowhere to be found in the school library? How is he related to the package Hagrid brought back from Gringotts?_   
_How did Snape fit into all of this?_

Slowly, his brain formed the connections. There still were gaps, and most of the information were things they had already discovered, but it helped to have some clarity.

Hagrid, under Dumbledore’s orders, brought something from Gringotts to Hogwarts for safety. This meant even an esteemed place of the utmost security such as Gringotts was a place the person looking to steal the object could break into. Even within Hogwarts, the object was guarded with vicious creatures, and Merlin-knows what else. The object was related to Nicolas Flamel, or Nicolas Flamel wanted to steal it. However, Draco figured revealing Nicolas Flamel’s identity would help with revealing what the object was.

Professor Snape wanted this object for himself, or he was working for somebody to get it to them. Professor Snape also hated Harry. Was that hatred because of how much he hated Gryffindors in general, or Harry in particular? The fact that professor Snape tried to single out Harry during the quidditch match hinted at the latter though.

Why would someone dislike Harry? Because he defeated the Dark Lord. Was professor Snape working for the Dark Lord? Did the Dark Lord want the object hidden away on the third floor?

~

  
The four met, huddled in an alcove before lunch. Draco hugged Harry immediately, not having seen him for a while, but it certainly seemed as if the three were bursting to tell Draco something.

“Snape will be refereeing the next quidditch game.” Harry moaned into Draco’s robe, and although he knew Harry was trying to play it off, he felt Harry’s fear.

“Can you call in sick and not play?”

“Gryffindor doesn’t have a reserve seeker,” Hermione said, she looked worried too. Draco didn’t know what to do or what to say except hold Harry. He suddenly remembered that he had one last chocolate frog in his pocket. He gave it to Harry, smilingly declining when his soulmate bit the head off and offered him the rest of the frog.

“What’s the card?” He asked Harry gently as he watched Harry wipe a little bit of melted chocolate on his own robe. Harry looked at the famous wizard card and gasped, staring at the back of the card.

“I’ve found him!’ he whispered. “I’ve found Flamel! I told you I’d read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here – listen to this: “Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel”!”

~

“I’d buy a house in every single country in Europe!” Ron whispered to Draco one night as the four were huddled up in the kitchens. Harry and Ron were playing a fiery game of Wizard Chess while Draco finished up an essay. Hermione was leaning against Ron, flipping through a giant book she had borrowed from the library for some ‘light’ reading.

Ron and Draco were debating all the things that they would do if they had the philosopher’s stone.

“You’d have to have tons of money for that!” Harry interjected as Ron made another move that resulted in nothing happening to either of their pieces.

“I’d work for a really long time! Hundreds of years!! That would mean I could save up tons of money, right?”

“Is that how money even works Ron?” Harry teased.

“I don’t know. Ask Draco! He’s the richest!!” Draco went a little red but shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s my parents’ money. I don’t have any of my own.” They once again fell into an easy silence that was only broken by the occasional explosion of chess pieces and Ron shouting ‘bloody hell’ at Harry.

Later into the night after Ron had successfully beaten Harry at three games and Draco’s paper was finished, edited, and rolled up to be delivered to Professor Snape, Hermione finally dragged Ron away to bed so Harry and Draco could spend some time together.

Draco hadn’t realized how easily Harry gravitated towards him whenever they were alone, but now he noticed how his soulmate cuddled up next to him on their couch the moment his friends left.

“I really am worried about Professor Snape being the referee, you know?”

“I know Harry.” Draco’s chest felt heavy. It was an unfamiliar feeling of fear that he had never experienced before. Fear for Harry.

“I’ll sit next to him. I’ll hex him if he tries to hurt you again. I promise.” Harry looked up at him, green eyes fearful, and nodded. The two boys sat there for a while, just enjoying each other’s presence until Dobby pulled up, looking fearful as he announced to them that they should go to bed.  
~  
After successfully winning the match, Harry found himself to be the last one left in the changing room. He heard the cheers and chants of excited Gryffindors from the quidditch pitch and yearned to be out there with him.

“Congratulations.” Someone familiar whispered from the doorway. Harry whirled around to face Draco.

“Thanks.” He grinned at his soulmate stupidly, finally feeling perfect.

“Come on, they’re celebrating!” Harry felt a little giddy as he took Draco’s hand.

“I’m glad I beat Slytherin.” He said happily as they raced beside each other.

“I’m a Slytherin, Harry.” Draco joked

“Honestly, you’re like a Gryffindor to me. You’re not as bad as all those Slytherins. You’re not like other Slytherins.” Harry responded happily. They were almost at the entrance to the grounds. Harry could see Fred and George singing. He didn’t even realize Draco had stopped.

“What do you mean?” Harry turned around, happiness deflating a little.

“Slytherins are great. What do you mean I’m not like other Slytherins?” Harry felt a little annoyed. Surely Draco wasn’t being serious?

“You know what I mean.”

“Apologize.”

“What? No? Did you see how bitter Snape was when we won?”

“My parents are Slytherin!” Draco interjected.

“The reason we have to hide everything?” Harry responded, suddenly feeling hot.

“Apologize, Harry.” He couldn’t see the devasted look on Draco’s face. He wanted to be celebrating.

“No.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for this being a little late.  
> See you on the next one xx


	4. A Malfoy Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of physical abuse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry about this one being kind of short, but I'm getting back into the groove of writing.

Draco hoped no one would notice him as he snuck into the hospital. If he was lucky, everyone was down at the feast, including Granger and Weasley. 

“Mr. Malfoy.” Madam Pomfrey, it seemed, didn’t always join the feast.

“I’m here to see Harry.” Draco bit his lip and stared at the older woman hoping she wouldn’t ask any awkward questions. From the beginning of the school year, almost everyone knew Draco and Harry were sworn enemies, and ever since that one quidditch match they certainly played the part for real. 

“Five minutes, Mr. Malfoy.” He snuck in, thankful almost all of the beds were entirely empty. Harry was awake, staring up at the ceiling as he walked in. 

“How are you?” Draco asked, standing at the foot of Harry’s bed. Was this the same boy who had been his best friend for most of the year? Was this the same boy who had been so angry at him for no reason after that quidditch match. 

“Why are you here, Malfoy?” Harry had never addressed him as Malfoy when it was just the two of them before. 

“I wanted to know if you were okay.” Draco all but whispered. 

“You can see for yourself and leave.”

“Harry...” They finally made eye contact. “Harry why are you so mad at me?”

“Mad?” The younger boy all but sprang up in bed. “You ignored me for the better part of the year!”

“Because you all but said all Slytherins are bad and didn’t apologize.” Draco whisper-yelled back. 

“They are! I was almost killed by one.” Draco took a step back, hurt all over again. 

“I’m a Slytherin.” He said, breathing becoming a little erratic. 

“You’re living up to it, too.” His soulmate replied savagely. 

~

One thing was for sure, first year was terrible. Draco glared at the back of Harry Potter’s head as the whole school clapped for him and his friends. The ensue of events ever since that one quidditch match had felt like a daydream for Draco. Once he stopped talking to Harry after demanding an apology, Harry never seemed to want to apologize. Or talk. Or even pretend as if that afternoon had never happened. 

“We should have won.” Blaise Zabbini groaned from next to Draco and Draco could only shrug in response. 

The evening Harry and his friends had gone down to save the philosopher’s stone, Draco had felt an unmistakable pain on his forehead. He knew it had something to do with Harry’s scar and he knew it had something to do with the dark lord. 

He pushed his dinner away, appetite lost at the cheers and howls that were coming from the other three houses. 

“I hate it here.”

~  
1992, July

Not that he particularly enjoyed his summer back home, either. His mother had done everything she could to put as much distance between him and his father as possible, taking him on trips to France and all over England for as long as they could get away without alarming Lucius. 

Whenever they had to be home, his grandfather seemed to be in his shadow, talking to Draco about his schoolwork or recommending him books. All in all, Draco found very little time to himself.

Until one day, in the heat of July, Dobby finally managed to corner him in his grandfather’s study. Draco looked up from the book about transfiguration he has been taking notes on, and into the big eyes of the elf dressed in a raggedy old pillowcase. 

“Master must protect Harry Potter.” Dobby said fearfully.

“Harry? Why?” 

“Master Potter cannot return to Hogwarts this year.” Draco scowled at the elf, dropping his quill on the table. 

“Why not, Dobby?”

“It is too dangerous for master Potter.” Dobby was shaking at this point, ears flatter than ever. 

“He did just fine last year, facing the dark lord.” 

“But Master Dra-“

“Go away, Dobby.” The elf all but vanished, unable to resist Draco’s command. Draco felt a twinge of discomfort at his ability to control Dobby so easily, but the study door opened and Abraxus came in with several books levitating next to him. 

“Try this one for history of animagi, Draco.” His grandfather told him with a smile as he handed Draco a book bound in red leather.

“Could I become an Animagus, grandfather?” Draco asked curiously as he flipped through various drawings of wizards that were stuck between human and animal forms. 

“If you practice hard enough, I certainly don’t see why not.” Abraxas chuckled as he seated himself by the fireplace. “Animagi are usually common in certain bloodlines, and I must say that the Malfoy one is not particularly known for it.” 

Draco finally came to a page he spotted a keyword he was looking for, and began to scrawl away on his parchment, his thoughts about Harry, Hogwarts and even elves far away in his mind. 

July 31st, 1992. 

Draco had just finished supper with his mother and was heading up the stairs when he felt a sudden bout of pain in his middle. He bent over on the old oak stairs and almost fell over, grasping onto the railing until his knuckles turned white. His father was locked up in his study, his grandfather had retired to bed early, and he knew mother wouldn’t leave the parlour until midnight; where she stayed as late as possible to avoid any encounters with his father.

So there he sat, on his staircase, groaning quietly to himself with tears running down his pale cheeks as each kick and punch reverberated through his body. 

Once the pain had subsided, he found it difficult to get up, and was still laying there when his mother came up the stairs. 

“Draco?” Narcissa’s eyes were red too, although he couldn’t quite place if it was because she was tired, sleepy or had been crying. 

“Mom,” Draco gasped, but remembered to stay quiet. He lost consciousness before he could say Harry’s name. 

~  
Draco woke up the next morning and found himself in bed with his mother asleep on a chair next to his bed. The clock on the mantelpiece read a quarter to six, so he knew he had been out for a while. 

“Mom?” His mother’s eyes were still red. 

“Draco.” She stood up and got into bed with him, and he cringed at how the movement hurt his ribs. 

“My love, listen to me. Harry has been hurt; this is why you are sick.” He sensed a tone of urgency in her voice and looked up at her worried voice. “Harry’s location is unknowable to us because of a spell Dumbledore employs, so there is no way to visit him unless we find his address.” Draco’s eyes widened as he listened to his mother. 

“I can write to Ron or Hermione?”

“Do they know, Draco?” He tried his best not to look guilty as he nodded. 

“Write to them at once. Once I have the address, I will visit Harry myself and heal him.”

“Mom,” Draco felt a little dizzy as he clutched his mother’s arm. 

“Why did this happen? How did this happen?” 

“I do not know, son. I will be able to tell you more once I visit Harry. For now, I will send up food and tea. You will eat and then write to Hermione or Ron immediately. Your father cannot know you are unwell.” 

~

“Hermione, sweetheart! There’s an owl here for you!” 

“Why, it’s a majestic looking one too.” Mr. Granger exclaimed from his sitting chair as the eagle owl sat on their tea table, holding a heavily embossed green envelope. Hermione came down the stairs, hoping for Hedwick, but was surprised to see Draco’s family owl instead. 

She picked up a slice of bacon leftover from breakfast and handed it to the animal before untying the letter, receiving a friendly bite to her finger in return. 

Hermione, 

Please respond immediately, and do not tell anyone about the contents of this letter. I decided to write to you hoping you would be the least hostile towards me. I am sorry for the way the last school year ended. I wish I had made a better effort at staying friends. I’m writing this letter to you because Harry has been hurt. I know because I am currently in bed with what feels like broken ribs although my own ribs are not broken.

You CANNOT TELL THIS TO ANYONE. If you do, our soulmate bond will be discovered and those on the wrong side WILL use it against Harry. Please. My mother will visit Harry and help him heal, but there is no way for her to know where Harry lives. She said something about a spell that Dumbledore uses. Please send Harry’s address back to me as soon as possible. 

Burn this letter. Don’t tell Harry. 

Your friend,  
Draco. 

~  
The muggles were eating dinner when Narcissa apparated into their living room, shrouded in an invisibility cloak. She stared at them for several seconds, wondering if Hermione had given a wrong address but then decided that Harry wouldn’t have been able to sit at a dinner table in his state anyway. 

She was furious with what she discovered. 

The boy’s door was locked with several padlocks, and what seemed to be a cat flap was attached at the bottom of the door. She had a bigger shock when she apparated inside. Narcissa knew that she had to expect something bad, from the way Draco had been the entire day, but the sight of Harry made her heart ache. 

His brown skin was ashen, and the boy was covered in sweat, curled up in what seemed to be a bed too big for his small body. She went to work quickly, casting several charms to soundproof the room before she began to fix Harry’s broken ribs. 

His cries were the worst, and no number of soft words she spoke could console the unconscious boy. The snowy owl which had been asleep in her cage had begun screeching in protest as well, as if her master’s cries pained her. After several hours of charms, she sat down next to Harry and fed him a potion for nutrition and healing, which calmed his restless body significantly. 

She even pulled out several cookies from her bag for the disgruntled looking owl, who after inspecting her, gave her an approving look followed by chatter she did not understand at all. 

“Aren’t you a talkative one, then.” She smiled at the bird while scratching the side of her head. 

“Hello?” Harry had woken up to a silhouette of a woman near Hedwick’s cage, but before he could get to his glasses, it was gone. 

Narcissa made one last stop that night, standing over the great big sleeping body of Vernon Dursely, she cast a hex ensuring that he would not sleep another restful night ever again in his life. Of course, she would have loved to outright strangle the man in his sleep, she felt, for once in her life inexplicable hatred towards a muggle, enough to even cast an unforgiveable curse. 

She knew, however, if she did inflict any real damage, it would be traced back to her, and everything she had worked so hard to conceal and protect, especially her son, would be destroyed. So, she walked away, boiling in rage. 

When she apparated back to the manor, everything was exactly as she had left it. 

August 19th, 1992

Draco stared at Harry in shock as Hagrid wrestled his and Ron’s father’s apart. Never in Draco’s life had his father actually gotten into a physical altercation with someone over something that seemed so… petty. He could only follow his father, a pile of books left in their wake after the manager had asked them to leave.

Draco didn’t even realize his father was walking oddly until they had walked to a far corner of Diagon alley which lead off to Knockturn alley, a place Draco felt much more at home in. 

“Father?” He looked even paler than usual, and the cut on his eyebrow seemed to be bleeding too much for it to just be a cut. He hesitantly took his father’s hand, and was surprised when Lucius shifted all of his weight onto Draco. 

“If we get to Borgin and Burke’s, we can use their floo right, father?” Draco felt a little helpless, but he was determined to get off the bright street full of people who were slowly beginning to recognize the two of them. 

The further they walked, the weaker his father seemed to become, almost as if he was losing consciousness. By the time Draco reached the door of Borgin and Burke’s, his side was burning and he was panting as if he had run a marathon. 

“Mr. Malfoy!” The door opened and beyond its threshold stood the owner, a wide grin plastered on his face. “Changed your mind about selling that Diary, have you?” 

“Mr. Borgin.” Draco panted while he held his father up, “how much to use your floo?”

“The diary.” The man was more cunning than Draco anticipated, his muddy eyes gleaming in glee. Draco, however, didn’t really care about the repercussions of giving away a diary his father was seemingly obsessed by. 

So after seating his father on an odd looking chair he went about snooping through all the packages and bags they had been carrying. Alas, no diary.  
“It’s not here.” But where could his father have sold or lost the diary? The same diary he obsessively wrote on and spent all his time mumbling to?

Mr. Borgin didn’t miss a beat before he demanded “Thirty galleons, per person.”

~  
Lucius woke up feeling odd. For starters, his bed felt both familiar and unfamiliar as he laid under the covers. He had a pounding headache and a dry throat to accompany the feeling of oddness. After a few moment of contemplation, he figured he must have come down with the flu, but couldn’t piece together why Narcissa wasn’t around. She had hardly ever left him alone when he was unwell, even if it was a minor cold or injury. 

You have a baby boy now, he reminded himself as he sat up. Undoubtedly Narcissa spent more time doting over Draco than on him. Even as this thought passed through his head, Lucius couldn’t exactly pinpoint how old Draco would be turning this year. One? Two? 

He glanced at the bedside table and was surprised to find no water or tea. Come to think of it, the bedside table didn’t look like his bedside table at all. What on earth was he doing in one of the guest rooms?

Looking around, he realized all of his belongings were in there as well. The dark mahogany dresser his mother had fashioned for him and Narcissa stood not too far from the bed, cluttered with a few perfumes of his and… were those bottles of fire whiskey? But where were Narcissa’s lipsticks and powders that always sat on the left side? 

His bookcase was right next to the door, looking a bit messy, and his writing desk sat next to it, cluttered with various parchments and books. The room looked as if he’d inhabited it for a long time, but he couldn’t fathom how or why he’d inhabit anything that didn’t have his soulmate in it as well. 

“Dobby.” The elf appeared before him before he could move to get out of bed. 

“Master Lucius.” The house elf prostrated himself before Lucius, which made the man uncomfortable. 

“No need for all that, Dobby. Fetch me some water, will you? And where is Lady Malfoy this er-“ he glanced at the clock, “evening?” 

“Lady Malfoy is in the garden, Sire.” Dobby disappeared before Lucius could inquire more. The garden, ofcourse. Narcissa spent more time in there than anywhere else. He smiled fondly to himself as he got up to get dressed. He still remembered brining her to the Malfoy mansion for the first time, the way she had glared at all the hedges and flowerless gardens and told him she was going to grow roses in them. 

When he stepped out into the corridor, he wondered if Draco was outside with his mother. He couldn’t remember if the nanny came on Saturdays, come to think of, today was Saturday wasn’t it? 

He walked toward the nursery, thinking to himself that his son was probably asleep and opened the door with a smile on his face, only to be greeted with a bedroom. He stared at the small bed, the book cases and the quidditch posters on the walls in wonder. Were one of his cousins staying with them? Did Narcissa have any cousins who were going to Hogwarts? He stared at the pile Hogwarts robes, their Slytherin green ties poking through the edges, sitting neatly folded on the bed and frowned again. Who… 

“Lucius?” He turned around at the familiar voice, Abraxus stood in the middle of the hallway. His father looked so old. 

“Dad?” he hadn’t intended for his voice to sound so vulnerable, but his throat felt drier than ever, and the headache had returned in full force. Something akin to realization passed through his father’s features before he came toward Lucius. 

“Oh, son. Come to the drawing room with me. That diary has taken too much from you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you enjoyed it, your feedback means a lot to me <3


	5. Hemione Saves the Day (several times).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mention of physical abuse

_1992, July 31st_

Harry wasn’t surprised Draco had put Dobby up to stealing all his letters. Of course, that’s what Draco would do, on Harry’s birthday too. Harry laughed at himself for having held on to the hope that Draco would have sent something for him, no that didn’t sound like Draco at all. Draco was a Slytherin, just like Voldemort.

He could hear the Masons leaving, and then he could hear his uncle’s thundering feet coming up the stairs, followed by his door bashing open. Looking back, he wouldn’t remember anything from that night or the next, other than a silhouette of a woman by Hedwig’s cage before miraculously starting to feel better again.

He liked to think back to that night and pretend his mother had come to save him.

_1992, August 19th_

Harry hid inside the cupboard, covered in soot as he watched Draco and Lucius Malfoy enter Borgin and Burke’s. He could only see slivers of Draco, how thin he looked under his dark robes, how his father spoke to him harshly. Harry wondered if he and Draco were similar after all, with their troubled home lives.

Don’t be ridiculous. He thought to himself as he heard Lucius Malfoy’s haughty voice mocking Mr. Weasely. Draco was rich and could get anything he ever wanted, with parents who probably bought him whatever he wanted, too. Draco was nothing like Harry, the universe had just made a grave mistake pairing the two of them together.

“Though if his grades don’t pick up,” said Mr. Malfoy, more coldly still, “that may indeed be all he is fit for —” Lucius continued on, and Harry felt that this observation was unfair. He was pretty sure the only person who had better grades than Draco was-

“-that Hermione Granger,” Draco was saying,

“I would have thought you’d be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam,” snapped Mr. Malfoy.

Harry once again, felt angrier than ever, how dare this pompous old hag reduce Hermione, the nicest, brightest person he knew to her blood? He glanced at Draco, who seemed to be red with anger. Angry because Hermione beat him, I bet.

“It’s the same all over,” said Mr. Borgin, in his oily voice. “Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere —”

Harry zoned out on their conversation, still angry, but more focused on Draco, who drew nearer and nearer to his hiding place, examining objects for sale. After turning away from a long coil of hangman’s rope with a smirk still plastered on his face, Harry saw Draco notice the cabinet right in front of him. He thought Draco looked wonderful smirking, and his brain clouded even as Draco moved forward, his hand stretched out for the handle of Harry’s hiding place.

“Done,” Said Mr. Malfoy at the counter. “Come, Draco-“Harry stood there in the dark for a while, angry at himself he hadn’t been more worried.

~

  
“Famous Harry Potter,” said Draco. “Can’t even go into a bookshop without making the front page.” Unlike the times Draco and Harry had fake fought, this one felt more vindictive, more charged with anger.

“Leave him alone, he didn’t want all that!” said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy.

“Potter, you’ve got yourself a girlfriend!” drawled Draco. Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart’s books. Harry stared down at Ginny, who had been shy around him the entire summer, and wondered if Ginny really did have a crush on him.

Wait, was Draco jealous? Harry smirked at Draco, wanting to hurt him as much as he could. Maybe Harry would end up with Ginny, whose soulmate he had heard nothing of, maybe she didn’t have one.

He placed a hand on Ginny’s shoulder and watched Draco become angrier still. He could hear Ron and Hermione coming over and didn’t care. All he wanted to do was make Draco as jealous as possible. He completely missed the loaded stare Hermione gave Draco as the five of them stood there in silence, the air becoming more charged as more time passed.

“Ron!” said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. “What are you doing? It’s too crowded in here, let’s go outside.”

“Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley.” It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco’s shoulder, sneering in just the same way. The two of them looked almost identical, and Harry could feel his hatred amplify.

“Lucius,” said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

“Busy time at the Ministry, I hear,” said Mr. Malfoy. “All those raids . . . I hope they’re paying you overtime?” He reached into Ginny’s cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration.

“Obviously not,” Mr. Malfoy said. “Dear me, what’s the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don’t even pay you well for it?” Mr. Weasley flushed dark red.

“We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy,” he said.

“Clearly,” said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. “The company you keep, Weasley . . . and I thought your family could sink no lower —” There was a thud of metal as Ginny’s cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf.

Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads; there was a yell of, “Get him, Dad!” from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, “No, Arthur, no!”; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over. Amidst the chaos, Harry caught Draco’s eye and saw a glimpse of fear in the boy’s eyes for a moment.

_September 1st, 1992_

For the first time in his life, Draco felt happier than he ever had. Maybe even happier than waking up snuggled next to Harry. He stood at King’s Cross station platform 9 ¾ with both his parents, his father’s hand protectively on his shoulder. Draco still couldn’t understand what had happened that evening at Flourish and Blott’s , maybe Arthur Weasley had knocked Voldemort right out of his father’s head, but the rest of the summer had been splendid.

“I hope you have a great year, son.” His mother said, giving him a warm hug. He smiled in return, hugging her back. When pulling away, he noticed her soul mark of his father’s name glowing faintly emerald, with the tiny rose blooms around them.

“Give us a moment, would you, Cissy?” Lucius looked to be almost doting on Narcissa, who despite having being charmed ever since the day he woke up clear-headed, couldn’t forgive him for nearly eleven years of pain.

“Son,” Lucius looked down at Draco, “I know neither you nor your mother are ready to tell me about your soulmate, but whenever you are, I’m here. And I’m not going away again.” Draco really wanted to tell his father, more than anything on the planet, but he couldn’t think of the words right now, and as much as he loved his father, as much as he had grown to slowly welcome this man back into his life, he wasn’t sure if he would risk Harry, even if he didn’t have Harry. “And have a good time. I will write to you.”

This hug felt warm too, and secure. Draco felt angry he had missed years of his father’s love because of Voldemort, he felt angrier than he had ever felt before, even though he was glad of the way things were at that moment. Maybe that was why he didn’t notice Dobby standing by the wall as the Weasley’s ran in, and maybe that was why he didn’t look for Harry in the crowd as he got in the train and went looking for Blaise and Pansy instead.

~

  
He did, however, notice on the train when Crabbe suggested they go terrorize the Gryffindors. Malfoy sauntered past every single cabin, hoping to see a familiar mop of black hair, but returned to his own compartment worried when he couldn’t find Harry. Could Harry be hiding?

His answer came in the form of a familiar head of curls peeking in through their cabin door.

“I’m going to stretch my legs a bit.” He said to no one and was out the door before anyone spoke.

“Hermione?”

“Neither Ron nor Harry got in the train.” She sounded more worried than she appeared. He squeezed her shoulder gently, trying to think of ways to find out where Harry or Ron were.

“Are you sure they aren’t hiding somewhere? Invisibility cloak?” Hermione shook her head, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

“Okay, look. Here’s what we do. Let’s go talk to a Prefect and see if they can help?” Hermione nodded, and he let her lead the way to the prefect’s cabin.

“I’ll go in. It’s Percy so he’ll wonder why you’re here.” Draco nodded and tried to look as conspicuous as possible, hanging out in front of the Gryffindor prefect’s cabin. Hermione didn’t take long, and she came out looking a little less worried.

“He’s going to write to Professor McGonagall, an owl will get to Hogwarts before the train does. Maybe they will be driven down with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.” Draco nodded again as they began to walk away, Hermione still in front of him.

“I wonder why they couldn’t get in. Harry loves coming to Hogwarts, doesn’t he? He wouldn’t skip on purpose?”

“Haven’t you heard? Well, of course, you haven’t,” Hermione’s dark brows rose, “Weird things have been happening to him, ever since Dobby stole all our letters to him and –“

“Dobby what?”

“Oh, Hey Hermione!” One of the Weasley’s had appeared behind them and was glaring right at Draco. “Leave her alone, Malfoy!” Draco had barely gotten a word out before he was hexed violently, throwing him several feet away from Hermione.

~

  
Somewhere above the Hogwarts express, windows rolled down in a blue Ford Anglia, Harry Potter felt the breath being knocked out of him.

“You alright, mate?”

“Yeah, just, felt like someone pushed me several feet onto the floor there.” He rubbed his side, feeling the pain ebb from a phantom wound.

~

  
Draco stared at the two empty seats next to Hermione all throughout dinner, with no appetite, still unable to stretch too far to his right or lift his right arm without a spike of pain going down his body.

“You should talk to Madam Pomfrey about your side if it’s bothering you,” Pansy said suddenly, making him glance at her and glare.

“Is Granger your soulmate then?” She followed up, voice lower. He glared at her more vehemently still.

“She isn’t.” His response would have been more believable if a note from Hermione, shaped like a bird, hadn’t floated up to him right at that moment.

They are fine. In Snape’s office. I’ll write again about what happened in the summer.

He crumpled the paper, half a mind to hex Pansy and Hermione both.

~

_Hi,_

_I hope the first day of class went well for you, and sorry I didn’t write sooner but we were depotting Mandrakes at herbology and I realized their screams were surprisingly more potent than what my research showed (Neville had his earmuffs on wrong and was knocked out). So I spent all my free time in the library and completely forgot I said I was going to write to you, sorry about that! Have you had herbology yet, by the way? I’m assuming it’s with the Ravenclaws, don’t forget to have your earmuffs on tightly!_

_Anyway, Harry told us that Dobby appeared at his uncle’s place on his birthday and ruined a dinner his uncle had been planning for a while with his boss. In the thrall of it, Dobby revealed to Harry that he had been intercepting all of Harry’s letters from us, hoping Harry wouldn’t go back to Hogwarts. Do you know if your father put Dobby upto it? Draco, Harry did sound angry but please understand that this isn’t Dobby’s fault! You have to promise me you will not punish Dobby or else I will never write to you again._

_I’m sure you’ve heard the story of Harry and Ron coming to Hogwarts in Mr. Weasley’s car, but they truly couldn’t get through the barrier and I know they wouldn’t lie about that._

_We have DADA with the Slytherins tomorrow – see you then!_

_-H._

~

_Hello!_

_We did have herbology with the Ravenclaws, and there were no casualties from both houses. I think there’s a book by Paul Beyeri on Herbology that covers most of our syllabus that’s in the library. It’s a little advanced but I think you will be able to handle it._

_I spoke to Dobby the moment I read your letter. He wouldn’t tell me why he stole Harry’s letters, but I truly don’t think my father had anything to do with it. Maybe he heard of what you got yourselves into last year and thought you needed protection. I told him no more intercepting letters, so he absolutely will not be able to do that again._

_I also feel really bad about what happened on Harry’s birthday. It’s my fault his uncle was triggered like that, and I don’t think I will ever forgive myself for that. Is there any way Harry can speak to Professor Dumbledore about it? Mum’s been writing to him anonymously but there isn’t much she can do without revealing our secret._

_I did hear about the flying car, and it’s funny that the barrier was closed. I don’t think it’s supposed to do that. I’ll read up on it and let you know._

_See you at DADA!_

_-D_   
_(ps. I think Lockhart’s going to be terrible)_

“Oh, you definitely are Harry’s soulmate there, hating on Lockhart,” Hermione grumbled as she folded up Draco’s letter.

“Harry’s soulmate?” asked Harry, the usual grin on his face gone.

“Um, Harry, I meant-“

“Give me the letter, Hermione.” He whisper-yelled at her.

  
“I certainly will not, it’s mine.” She whisper-yelled back.

“That’s his writing! Why is he writing to you?” His voice was rising, and Ron had to squeeze his shoulder to remind him they were drawing attention from the rest of the breakfast table.

“Because he’s my friend, Harry!” Hermione saw Ron go a little red but knew that she couldn’t give away her secret to Draco and walked off instead. She walked past Pansy, who had been on her way out of the great hall with Millicent.

“What’s got them all riled up?” Millicent giggled as she twirled her hair around her finger.

“I think I’m onto something, Mil.” Pansy pushed back her braids and grinned, certain that she had uncovered Draco’s curly-haired mud blood secret.

~

  
“Hermione?” Hermione looked up from a book she’d been reading under an alcove. They still had a good amount of time before having to head to DADA with Professor Lockhart and she wanted to be as thorough as possible in her revising.

“Hi, Ron.” She felt a little guilty she had offered her soulmate no explanation as to why she had been talking to Draco, but it wasn’t like she and Draco had been conspiring on abandoning Harry and Ron and running away together.

“Is Draco doing okay?” she glanced at Ron in surprise, “What you didn’t think I’d be jealous did you? He’s gay for Merlin’s sakes!” Hermione blushed a little and edged to the side so that Ron could sit down next to her.

“He’s doing as well as can be expected. He said he was sure his father hadn’t put Dobby up to stealing Harry’s belongings though.” Hermione glanced down at her index finger and watched small sparks begin to dance around Ron’s name and went a little red again.

“I don’t trust Lucius Malfoy. He’s a proper git, remember how he gave dad a black eye at Flourish and Blott’s the other day?” Hermione bit her lip and nodded, not knowing to agree or disagree.

“The way Draco talked about his father though, I feel like something changed for them this summer.”

“Like what?” Ron edged closer. “Do you reckon Draco’s gone bad?” He was so much warmer than her, Hermione noticed.

“I don’t think so. He’s still the Draco we befriended last year, Ron.” Ron nodded, looking thoughtful.

~

Draco was just ahead of Harry, Ron and Hermione when he got looped into cleaning up the pixie mess Lockhart had created. He was seriously reconsidering not going to madam Pomfrey about his side, maybe he had hit the side of the train when one of the Wesley’s hexed him on the train two days ago.

“Can you believe him?” roared Ron as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.

“He just wants to give us some hands-on experience,” said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage.

“Hands-on?” said Harry, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. “Hermione, he didn’t have a clue what he was doing —”

“Rubbish,” said Hermione. “You’ve read his books — look at all those amazing things he’s done —”  
“He says he’s done,” Ron muttered.

Draco, meanwhile, was getting pulled in several directions by his robe and couldn’t quite smash as many pixies with his aching side. None of the trio noticed him until Hermione cast an immobilizing spell on the creatures and they started to gather up the pixies so they could go back in their cage.

“Draco? Are you stalking us?” Harry glared at Draco as he rounded up on him.

“I go to school here too, Harry. And last I checked, Lockhart asked all of us to clean up, not just you.” Harry glared at Draco and picked up several immobilized pixies off the floor.

“You’re not even picking up as many. Not used to doing your own work, Malfoy?” Draco glared at Harry and bent down to pick up a pixie, trying his best to keep a neutral face as he did so. Hermione and Ron shared a glance, unsure if they should intervene or not.

“Seriously, why are you so slow? Should we call Dobby for help? Or is Dobby too busy intercepting my letters?” Draco closed his eyes and went on picking up pixies from the floor, ignoring his side entirely.

“What you can’t even talk to me now-“

“Stop it.” Hermione was glaring at Harry. “You two need to talk this out.”

“He and I have nothing to talk about, ‘Mione.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Herm-“

“Harry James Potter, sit down.”

“What?” Harry glanced at Ron, who was collecting pixies as if he wasn’t hearing this conversation at all.

“I said sit down.” Harry sat.

“Draco, sit here please.” She was gentler with Draco, which made Harry glare more.

“You never told us why you two just stopped talking last year. Draco go first.” She sat across from them on a discarded chair.

“It was after a quidditch match. Harry basically said all Slytherins are bad.” Draco leaned against a desk inconspicuously. Hermione glanced at Harry, indicating that it was his turn to speak.

“I didn’t say Draco was bad. At the time, at least.” Hermione frowned.

“Harry, not all Slytherins are bad,”

“Oh yeah? They cheat during quidditch all the time, using illegal moves! Almost every single dark wizard ¬is Slytherin. Voldemort is Slytherin!” Harry glared at Hermione and Ron, who both cringed when he mentioned the name. Hermione noticed that Draco hadn’t cringed or reacted at all. Surprisingly, it was Draco who answered Harry.

“The Slytherin quidditch team is crap, I agree. I’m not making excuses for them, but it’s because our head of house encourages us to be that way, not calling us out when we do anything against the rules. It’s more of, ‘win by any means necessary’, which is terrible.” Ron had gathered up all the pixies and shut them in the cage. He walked over to sit next to Hermione, looking somber.

“A dark wizard doesn’t always mean a ‘bad wizard’, Harry. The dark arts themselves aren’t inherently bad, or prejudiced. Many wizards who were Slytherin joined the dark lord, yes, but does that mean all Slytherins should be blamed? If the dark lord had been sorted into Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, would you say all the people in those houses are bad?”

“Well, I don’t know but I know for a fact that your family is bad! All you do is keep secrets, Malfoy! Last Christmas I know you got hurt after going home but you never told me! Every single time I ask you about something that hits too close to home you don’t tell me! Your father was a death eater! How am I supposed to know if he’s training you to become one too? I saw you at Knockturn alley that day in the summer. Your father was selling illegal dark magic items because he was afraid Malfoy manor was going to be raided! And then he went and beat Mr. Weasley up! And called Hermione that awful word!” Harry was panting by the end of it and he had stood up, brows knitted in anger.

“Harry-“

“No, Hermione. I’m leaving.” And he took off running from the classroom, Hermione and Ron were left with no choice but to follow, leaving Draco behind. Draco was more worried about having to walk to the great hall for lunch when a shadow emerged from behind the door. Draco glanced up at a set of familiar dark robes and paled even further.

“Professor Snape?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you thought!  
> Also, a special shout out to everyone who commented on Chapter 4! You are the reason I was motivated enough to put this out so quickly.


	6. Unlearning Old Habits

“Harry!” he had finally been cornered in the Gryffindor common room after all their classes for the day had been finished. He had paired up with Neville in almost every single one, dodging out of sight in the hallways whenever Ron or Hermione called for him. Harry sighed and turned to face his two best friends.

“What?” he looked up at Ron, and then Hermione, who seemed to be fuming. “Are you going to force me to apologize to him? To accept him?” he was surprised by Hermione’s answer;

“No. That’s a long way away. I wanted to tell you that you are no longer my friend.” Harry saw Ron’s entire expression change. They had both been expecting Hermione to yell, but she simply stood between the two boys, clutching an impossibly large amount of books to her chest.

“And if Ronald decides to stay your friend, he is no longer my friend either.”

“Hermione! That’s-“

“You can’t make him choose!” Harry raged.

“I can.” She set her books on the table and glanced at the two boys.

“Harry, the things you said were wrong and they were vile. They were hurtful to Draco. You’re punishing him for something he never did, for something he has no control over. You’re stereotyping him based on something _you_ decided was the truth without even reading up about it.” Harry tried opening his mouth to speak but Hermione held up her finger.

“There are many, hundreds and thousands of amazing, kind witches, wizards and sorcerers who were at Slytherin during their years at Hogwarts. There have been many _light_ witches, wizards and sorcerers who were Slytherins and there were many _dark_ ones who weren’t terrible the way you-know-who was. I know because there are thousands of books in the library about them! So, your generalizations about Slytherins are _wrong._

“I don’t know about Draco or his family, and I won’t speak for them, but you should at least have enough respect for him to listen to his explanation!” Harry shifted on his feet uncomfortably, gaze on the ground.

“And last of all, Harry, if you’re going to generalize and stereotype and assume vile things about your _soulmate_ , I don’t put you above doing that to me or Ron.” Harry looked up at Hermione, whose eyes were shining but she continued on.

“And if Ron wants to be your friend while you are this way, that means he is enabling your behaviour, and I don’t want a soulmate who does that, either.” Harry had no words as Hermione picked up her books and left, and after staring at her empty spot for a few seconds, Ron followed her.

Harry sat down at a sofa and stared at the flames until Neville poked his shoulder a few hours later and asked him if he was coming down for dinner.

It was the most miserable Harry had ever been at Hogwarts, Hermione and Ron sat as far away from him as possible, and it seemed as if all their friends had moved with them. Not even the delicious meals that appeared on the table before him one after another could lift his spirits up. He glanced across the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables to the other end of the hall to spot Draco, but his usual spot next to Blaise and Pansy was empty as well.

For most of his life, Harry Potter had been alone, ignored by his aunt and uncle and bullied by his cousin and his schoolmates. When Harry came to Hogwarts, he had thought everything was too good to be true, two amazing best friends, a soulmate who, Harry realized, was perfect, people who were just like him, people who accepted him and _loved_ him. Harry pushed his uneaten piece of Shepherd’s pie around his plate dejectedly.

What had he done? He had let the fame get to his head. He had been no better than Dudley. He looked up at the Head table, hoping to catch Professor Dumbledore’s eye, but caught Snape staring at him instead. He looked away, wondering why Snape was so interested in him all of a sudden.

~

Draco woke up in the hospital wing feeling much better. The last thing he remembered was Professor Snape asking him if he was alright.

“Draco!” Someone said from beside him, and he looked up to see Blaise.

“Hey mate, how long have you been here?” Blaise shrugged, showing Draco a book he had been reading.

“Just an hour since the end of class, Professor Snape told me I should come visit you.” Draco smiled at his friend and tried to sit up in bed, feeling surprised when he realized he could.

“Madam Pomfrey said you had a bruised rib, nothing too serious. Just that you should have come in sooner and-“

“Mister Zabini,” A familiar, cool drawl interrupted Blaise, who immediately sat up from his chair. “I believe you are late for dinner. Hurry along.” Blaise stood up to leave, but pointed at a box of chocolates he had brought that were on his bedside table before disappearing behind the curtain.

“Professor Snape.” Draco glanced at the head of his house, suddenly nervous as to how much he had heard of his conversation in the DADA classroom.

“Imagine my surprise when I stumble upon you and a triad of Gryffindors during my visit to inspect how Professor Lockhart is doing. Imagine how surprised I am to learn who your _soulmate_ is, Mr Malfoy.” Draco felt his face pale, eyes wide as he stared at Severus Snape.

“Professor, I-“ Snape shook his head as to silence Draco and waved his wand. Draco was half expecting a hex or a curse but was surprised by the plate of sandwiches that appeared on his lap.

“Your mother told me years ago.” Draco gaped at the man as he sat down on the chair Blaise had just vacated. “It is imperative that you and your _friends_ ,” Snape said the word friends as if he were saying _slugs,_ or _leeches_ “keep this information a secret.” Draco nodded profusely, still staring at the man.

“The sandwiches will get cold if you don’t eat them, Mr Malfoy.” Draco picked one up gingerly and took a bite, then another when he realized how hungry he was. “It is also imperative that you do not allow _Harry Potter_ to speak to you the way he did, today.” Draco looked up again, surprised to see a hint of kindness in the professor’s voice.

“We all deserve respect and understanding from our soulmates, Mr Malfoy. You are no different.” Draco nodded, and Professor Snape finally stood up. He waved his wand again so that a bottle of pumpkin juice appeared on the bedside table.

“Lastly, your father has _gifted_ the entire Slytherin quidditch team with brand new _Nimbus 2001s_ so that you may be our new seeker.” Draco felt himself go red, remembering what Harry had said only a few hours ago. “In light of the _accusations_ I heard this evening, you will still be present at tryouts this Friday and will only become seeker if you are _exceptional_ enough to beat the current one, who is, might I add, a fourth year.” The man was gone before Draco could say or ask anything more.

~

Harry woke up on Wednesday feeling miserable and empty. He glanced over at Ron’s bed almost instinctively and sighed when he noticed that the curtains were drawn tightly around Ron’s bed. He stared out at the school grounds for a while before groggily getting out of bed. No one in the boy’s dormitory was up yet, and Harry made no sound as he went about getting ready for the day, pulling on a knitted Gryffindor sweater over his school shirt because he felt a bit chilly.

The fat lady bode him good morning as he strode down to the great hall, which only had a scattered few fifth years studying for their OWLs. They paid Harry no attention as he grabbed himself some toast and hightailed out of there, straight to the library.

It didn’t take Harry long to find a few books on Slytherin’s history and the Wizards it had produced. He sat down on a few cushions he borrowed from the more populated parts of the library in a corner and began to read.

He read until his wristwatch told him it was time for his first class of the day.

~

“What’s the book, Harry?” Hermione asked him casually as they waited outside the dungeons for Snape to let them in for their potions class that morning. Harry knew that she had seen the cover but showed it to her anyway. She gave him a nod but didn’t talk to him again. He did hear Ron asking her if it was okay to be friends with Harry again, but missed the rest of their conversation when Neville asked him if he wanted to partner up. Harry had no choice but to agree.

Professor Snape was well on his way to writing down a recipe on the blackboard when the door creaked open and Draco and Blaise walked in. “Mr Malfoy. I hope you didn’t think that your stay at the infirmary has warranted your tardiness to go without consequence.” Harry’s eyes widened as he glanced at Ron and Hermione, who both looked just as surprised. Draco had gone slightly red.

“Five points from Slytherin, each.” Snape looked as if it pained him physically to say so as Draco and Blaise shuffled in.

“Blimey Harry, I think that’s the first time Professor Snape’s ever taken points from Slytherin!” Neville whispered into Harry’s ear, but Harry was too preoccupied worried as to why Draco had been in the infirmary. Why hadn’t he known?

“Neville, did you know why Draco was in the infirmary?” Neville raised his eyebrows at Harry and began copying down what Snape was writing away on the blackboard.

“He’s probably faking it, Harry, you know how Malfoys are.” Harry felt a little uncomfortable at that statement.

“That’s not true Neville. You’re being rude.” Neville looked surprised, but before he could say anything more-

“Five points from Gryffindor each, for Potter and Longbottom.” Snape looked even more vindictive than usual, and Neville gulped in fear. “Talking in class is not prohibited. Since you seem to be having time for chit chat, Potter why don’t you tell me which part of a Salamander is used for this fire protection potion?” Harry glanced at the blackboard and realized Snape hadn’t written that down yet.

“Um,” Snape raised his eyebrow at Harry, pointedly ignoring Hermione’s raised arm. Then, to Harry’s surprise, Draco raised his arm as well.

“Mr Malfoy?”

“Salamander’s blood sir.” Harry glanced at Draco almost forlornly as Snape redirected his attention there.

“What kind of Salamander, Mr Malfoy?”

“Fire dwelling Salamanders, sir.”

“And why, Salamander’s blood?” At this, Draco did not seem to have the answer. Hermione’s arm was still in the air.

“Miss Granger.” Snape sounded as if he was eating coals.

“Fire Dwelling Salamanders have healing and rejuvenating properties, professor. By using its blood in a fire protection spell, any burns encountered will be healed instantly.”

“Five points to Slytherin and Gryffindor.” Snape glared at the class.

“I’d think you would at least remember the potion, Mr Potter, considering the fact that you drank it just last year to reach a _certain mirror._ ” Harry’s eyes widened and he could only look sheepish as Professor Snape went back to writing on the blackboard. He never could have a good day, could he?

~

“Draco!” Harry whispered as he caught up with Draco. Most of the class had left for lunch after finishing potions, and Harry used the opportunity to catch up with Draco, who had been a little late in finishing his potion because he hadn’t been in class until late.

Harry himself was late, considering he had been paired with Neville, who couldn’t brew anything at all with Snape watching over him, willing him to fail.

“You were in the infirmary?” Harry asked as he stuffed a book into his bag and slung it over his shoulder. Draco didn’t meet Harry’s eyes but nodded.

“Why? What happened?” Draco didn’t respond. They were reaching the staircase that led up to the main floor.

“Draco, please tell me?” Harry felt a little desperate.

“No, Harry.” Draco wasn’t whispering anymore. Harry was glad the hallway was empty. “I’m not telling you anything! You were horrid to be yesterday!” Harry hung his head in shame.

“I’m sorry. I _was_ horrid. I’ve just been bottling everything from last year up and-“ Harry had to fight himself not to cry in front of Draco. “There’s no one to blame.” Harry sniffled. “My parents were killed and I live with the Dursleys who are-“Harry shook his head and wiped his tears. “I thought it would be easier to blame you. And I’m sorry. It was a terrible thing to do.” Harry reached for Draco’s hand, but Draco drew away.

“I shouldn’t have. I hurt you, and I shouldn’t have. I’ll make sure I never do anything of the sort again, Draco. I’m sorry. I really am.” He finally looked up at Draco to see that the boy’s face looked unreadable.

“I accept your apology, Harry.” Harry gave a teary smile and moved towards Draco who stepped away again. “But I still need some time.” Harry’s eyes widened; he could feel his smile slide away.

“Don’t you want to be my soulmate anymore?”

“It’s not something I can just _not want,_ Harry,” Draco explained, looking frustrated. “But you hurt me a lot, not just yesterday but all of last year. I just need, a break of sorts.” Harry could feel the tears falling more freely down his cheeks. “I can’t jump right back into spending all my time with you.” Before Harry could say anything more, Draco hurried away, taking the stairs two at a time as if he couldn’t wait to get away.

~

Harry didn’t go to lunch. He went back to his spot in the library. After reading several chapters about Leta Lestrange, Harry opened up his potions books instead. Maybe he could make some headway on his least favourite subject. He sat there in his corner until he heard the clock strike for the end of lunch and gathered up his belongings to head to transfiguration.

~

Harry was, once again the first to show up at dinner and the first to leave, gulfing down as much food as he could before Ron, Hermione or Draco arrived. He didn’t know why he was avoiding them, since they were the ones who didn’t want to be Harry’s friends anymore, but Harry was gone before most students started trickling into the great hall anyway.

Madame Pince gave Harry a nod when he re-entered with a few bread rolls hidden in his bag. He went to his usual spot in the library and continued reading about how Leta Lestrange had helped defeat Grindelwald. When he had finished reading about her, he went back to his potions work, determined to be able to answer Snape’s questions next time.

Harry had never known books and schoolwork could be this _soothing_ , so satisfying to finish. Once he had read every single thing there was to know about the fire protection spell, he switched to his transfigurations essay which wasn’t due for a whole week.

~

Draco spent Wednesday afternoon with Blaise and Pansy practising his quidditch. He felt too sad to sit in one place and read or write, and he knew that Hermione wouldn’t be able to corner him anywhere and demand him to apologize or become friends with Harry again while he was surrounded by Slytherins.

All three of them were up on brooms, with Blaise and Pansy both holding bags of Ping-Pong balls. They threw the balls far and wide in the court, and Draco flew around for hours and hours until the sun went down, and Pansy complained of the cold.

“You’re definitely going to get that seeker position, Draco,” Blaise commented as they rushed their way to dinner, all a little filthy from spending all that time outdoors, but they didn’t really have the time to clean up properly.

“Yes, Draco! You were amazing.” Pansy grinned as they entered. Draco felt hungrier than he had felt in ages as he dug into his food.

“Is it true you’re trying out for the seeker position, Draco?” Marcus Flint asked him with a smile as he joined their conversation.

“He’s been practising all afternoon! He’s pretty good.” Blaise said.

“Better than Terence Higgs, you reckon?” The Slytherin captain asked the three of them pointedly. Terence Higgs was the current seeker.

“I hope so, Marcus.” Draco took a bite of his lamb chop. “I’ve been practising all summer, and I’ll be in my best shape for Friday. Only time will tell I guess?” Marcus smiled at Draco in almost a brotherly fashion.

“You seem like a good kid, Draco. Good luck.”

“Marcus Flint has really dreamy eyes, doesn’t he?” Millicent Balustrade whispered to the three of them, eliciting a giggle from Pansy.

“Milli! He’s a sixth year! Is he your soulmate?” Millicent went a little red but didn’t say anything. Pansy didn’t question the girl further but turned her attention to Draco and Blaise.

“What about you boys?” She glanced nonchalantly at the Gryffindor table, where, Draco realized, harry wasn’t present. “Care to share your soulmates?” She smiled in what seemed like an uncaring way, but Draco knew that Pansy wanted to know very badly. 

“I’ll share if you do,” Blaise responded, equally sly. Pansy glared at him and changed the subject to their transfigurations essay almost immediately.

Later that night as Draco was getting ready for bed, Blaise told him casually, “mine’s one of the Weasleys.” Draco turned around to stare at his friend, rather surprised.

“Which one, mate?” The boy shrugged again, looking a little sad.

“Fred.” Draco nodded carefully, unsure what to say. It wasn’t uncommon for wizards to be gay, he knew that, but it was sometimes difficult to explain soulmate connections with light wizards to parents.

“My soulmate is a Gryffindor too,” Draco whispered, not really wanting to divulge the name.

“Then I suppose they have rejected you as well?” Blaise laughed. Draco stared at his friend, concerned. Blaise shrugged in response.

“My mom’s never been a death-eater nor has she helped anyone affiliated with you-know-who. Neither has any of my stepfathers.” Blaise turned back to his own bed and began to pull back the quilts. “But apparently me being a Slytherin is shameful enough.” Draco felt bad for his friend, but before he could say anything more, Crabbe and Goyle came sauntering in, exclaiming loudly about something or the other.

~

“Ron,” Hermione glared at her soulmate who seemed to be fidgeting instead of writing his transfigurations essay. Ron looked up sheepishly at her.

“Have you seen Harry at all today? Except for in class?” Ron shook his head, thankful Hermione hadn’t been asking why he wasn’t writing faster. He didn’t want to say anything that may anger her but spending all this time with Hermione was making him miss harry a good bit.

Hermione was great, she was amazing, and Ron really liked her, but it wasn’t the same as having Harry around. He could joke around with Harry and be loud and boisterous, belching and playing pranks on Fred and George, but with Hermione, he just got very nervous. He wanted her to like him as much he liked her, and he figured the only way to achieve this was to study with her and listen to her go on about one thing or the other that was interesting to her that day.

He absolutely loved listening to her talk about things, she got this excited faraway look in her eyes as if she wasn’t even really there, and her voice was soothing, it made him feel like he was at home on Christmas eve with a hot cocoa by the fireplace.

“He wasn’t at dinner and he wasn’t in the common room when we came in. Did you see him in the dormitories?”

“No ‘mione. Where do you reckon he is?” He was hoping that this meant that Hermione was going to be friends with Harry again. Ron knew that Harry’s actions and been wrong, but he also knew that abandoning Harry while he tried to become a better person wasn’t that great of an idea either. Before either one of them could come up with an idea as to where Harry could be, the portrait door opened and in came Harry, carrying a bag rival to Hermione’s with books.

“I bet he was at the library,” Ron said, feeling extremely sorry for his best mate. “Doesn’t it close at eight? He was probably kicked out by Madam Pince.” They both watched Harry get situated in a corner, several books spread before him before glancing at each other again.

“Maybe-“

“We should be friends with Harry again.” Hermione blurted out.

~

By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, Draco was pleasantly not anxious about his upcoming tryouts. He had been practising with Pansy and Blaise and had a familiar ache in his muscles from being outdoors. He felt sure and confident on his broom as he did a few laps around the pitch before anyone else came in. Slowly as afternoon classes ended, Slytherins began to shuffle into the stands, here to watch the quidditch tryouts.

Draco flew back down, landing on his feet before Marcus waved him down.

“Hey, Draco!” He ran towards the older boy with a small smile.

“Alright, everyone trying out for the team huddle around, please! We have 3 new spots available for chasers and beaters so those will happen first. Anyone else who wants to try out for any other position has to show us their skills first and will then go one-on-one against the person occupying that position currently. If you beat them, you get the place.”

Draco watched from beside Blaise, pansy and Millicent as new members were chosen or others re-confirmed until the very end when Marcus announced, “For seeker, we have one new try out. Draco Malfoy.” Blaise gave him a pat on the back and Pansy gave him a giant smile as he descended into the pitch.

The tryout itself was quite easy. He had to race a few of the existing members to test his speed and block a few bludgers to test his agility. He knew he had Marcus’ approval in those departments.

“Malfoy will play against Higgs, one-on-one. Whoever catches the snitch will be the seeker. Malfoy, Higgs, on standby.” Draco watched as Marcus pulled out the snitch and released it, keeping an eye on it for long as possible before watching it disappear while they waited. Once the five-minute mark was up, Marcus blew a whistle indicating that they could begin.

Terence stayed closer to the ground, and Draco figured he was trying to start his search from the bottom up. Draco on the other hand raised his broom and began the ascent as high as he could go. With the setting sun on his back, he spotted the golden glint on the snitch easily, towards the middle of the pitch. He realized too late that Terence had spotted it as well and was speeding towards it.

“Okay _Nimbus,_ let's go.” Draco descended sharply, flying faster and faster still. The snitch, as if realizing that it had been spotted, began to whizz away from them both. Draco realized then that he and Terrence were on a collision course headed for each other. He turned his broom sharply, missing Terrence by an inch and almost getting thrown off in the process.

With his sights set on the snitch, which was still whizzing away, Draco gave chase. He knew once Terence turned around that only he had sights of the snitch. Terence was following him blindly. He reached out for the snitch, now only feet away from it, and then realized Terence was on his tail. Deciding in the last moment that the risk was too great, he took a sharp right turn, leading Terence away from the snitch before diving back down suddenly.

He knew that Terence was confused by his trajectory and had stopped following him. While Terence was too busy trying to locate the snitch, Draco changed directions again, flying low, almost parallel to the unoccupied stands on the side as he followed the snitch.

Terence was too far away to even realize he had caught it when he finally did. He could hear the cheers from his housemates when he landed on the ground, snitch in hand.

~

Harry stared at Draco, and then at the brand-new _Nimbus 2001s,_ the entire Slytherin team was holding. He felt angry, he felt like Draco had bought his way into the team, but he knew how well Draco had played quidditch when they used to fly together, and he knew Draco was capable of holding his own in the pitch.

Harry noticed Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on. He hoped this wouldn’t be an explosive event, the last time the four of them had been in the same place he had lost his two best friends and his soulmate in one swell swoop. He hoped, maybe, now that Ron and Hermione were friends with him again, he could maybe win Draco back as well.

“What’s happening?” Ron asked Harry. “Why aren’t you playing? And what’s _he_ doing here?”

He was looking at Draco, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes. Harry knew Ron was being rude intentionally because Draco had told Harry he wanted space, but he didn’t want Ron to be rude to Draco.

“I’m the new Slytherin Seeker, Ron,” said Draco, smugly. “Everyone’s just been admiring the brooms my father’s bought our team.” Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.

Harry also noticed that a few of Draco’s friends were with the team as well. Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and Millicent Balustrade were backing Draco up, and although neither Millicent nor Blaise looked threatening, Pansy seemed to be glaring right at Hermione, almost willing her to say something.

“Well, the Gryffindor team was here first,” Hermione said sharply.

“No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood,” Pansy spat.

Harry knew at once that Pansy had said something really bad because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Pansy to stop half the team from jumping on her, Alicia shrieked, “How dare you!”, and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, “You’ll pay for that one, Parkinson!” and pointed it furiously under Flint’s arm at Pansy’s face.

A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron’s wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backwards onto the grass.

“Ron! Ron! Are you all right?” squealed Hermione.

Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.

Draco turned toward his friend, disgusted while Pansy laughed at Ron who was vomiting more slugs by the minute. “Why would you say that?” Pansy glanced at Draco, still doubled over with laughter. An uncomfortable silence hung around the Slytherin team.

“You know what it means!” Pansy grinned. “Scum like her don’t deserve to be here.” Draco stepped away from her, frowning.

“That’s disgusting Pansy.” He didn’t realize almost everyone else seemed to be following his lead when Marcus nodded in agreement.

“As a prefect, I have to report you to the head of the house, Pansy,” Marcus said, looking grave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Things will definitely pick up in the next, and I'll sneak some fluff in, depending on how temperamental Draco and Harry are going to be. 
> 
> As always, I love reading your comments! It absolutely makes my day!!


	7. The Heir of Slytherin

Early Sunday morning, Hermione was at the library before any other student. Madam Pince watched the girl walk in and didn’t frown nor follow her movements suspiciously. The young witch was one of very few students she trusted within the library, and she was convinced Miss Granger would someday become a successful and influential person.

Irma, however, had a reputation to uphold. She knew that students regarded her to be ridiculously strict about her library rules, and she did not want to be seen as being _nice_ to absolutely anyone at all. Nearly an hour after miss Granger had come into the library, she heard a suspicious sniffle or two.

“Miss Granger.” Her voice was as strict as ever as she regarded the young witch bent over a book. “I shall have to ask you to _not_ get any tears on that book.” She edged closer to take a look at the cover and realized it was a book that was more recently written. At least miss Granger was not damaging an old and irreplaceable book. She watched keenly as Hermione pushed the book away from her face but was angered to see that she kept sobbing.

Checking to ensure that no students were around, she sat down next to her. “Why has reading about blood purity made you so upset, miss Granger?” She was only concerned for the state of her book, she told herself in her mind, not of the student.

Hermione looked up at Irma with reddened eyes and, “I was called a slur yesterday by someone.” She hiccupped once, then twice. Irma produced a box of tissues and handed it to the girl. It was better for her tears to be absorbed by tissues and not her precious books. “I was looking up the history, and the meaning.” Irma looked at the book and read the first line of the paragraph Hermione had been reading and understood immediately.

“I will tell you something about myself, miss Granger.” She did not wait for the girl to respond. “I was raised by my mother, who was as muggle as they come. She was a Professor, though.” That caught Hermione’s attention, which pleased Irma. “Yes, she was a professor at a very well esteemed muggle university, and our house was always overflowing with books.” Hermione Granger had now stopped crying and was listening with rapt attention. “My mother was also from a very well-educated muggle family that regarded knowledge above anything else.” She smiled when she thought of her mother and their old house in London.

“My father was a wizard.” Her voice darkened. “I only met the man once when my Hogwarts letter came. He was not-“ Irma paused, editing her words in her head. “He was not a good person.” She concluded. “When I first came to Hogwarts, I was as muggle as they came. I had not been exposed to any magic in my entire short life.”

“They made fun of me, they did. I was not as smart nor as well read as you were when you first came here miss Granger.” Hermione looked surprised and Irma felt satisfied by that. “They called me nasty slurs, too, and I, like you, was devastated. All my life, my mother had nurtured me and raised me alone. She was a well-recognized lady in London society. She was well learned and kind.” Irma’s voice did not break, neither were her eyes wet.

“Yet they reduced her to nothing, all based on her _blood._ They reduced me to nothing. My biological father, who had no involvement in my life, who was not even a decent human being, was held in high regard because of his pure bloodedness.” She narrowed her eyes and glanced out at the grey sky from the window.

“Do not give them power over you, Miss Granger.” She looked right into the girl’s brown eyes. “Do not let them distraught you. Your blood is what makes you strong, it is what makes you special.” She smiled at the girl for the first time. It may have been the first time she smiled at any student at all. “Do not let the word have power to oppress you.” She stood up from the table, knowing she had said enough.

“May I know who said it?” Hermione looked unsure for a few moments before responding with the name.

Irma Pince nodded, knowing that Pansy Parkinson would have a hard time finding books that weren’t jinxed or hexed within the library for the rest of her school career.

Hermione felt like she had read enough about purebloods and their nonsense to last her a long time. She shut the book and stood up to return it to the place where she had found it when a portrait spoke to her softly, “Why, dear aren’t you the brightest witch of your whole year? Why are you letting white noise upset you so?” Hermione felt her face heating up and thanked the portrait, noting that her name was Professor Valeria Myriadd who had been a Gryffindor professor many years ago.

_September 8 th, 1992_

Ginny didn’t know what she was doing. She didn’t know why Tom was being so persistent. Her head felt full and her limbs felt like logs as she stood in the girl’s lavatories on the second floor. She watched without really seeing as the sinks moved apart to open the chasm below. She watched without seeing with the diary clutched in her hands as something big slithered up.

_Close your eyes._ Tom said, and so she did. She felt it slither past her, felt its shadow on her that raised goosebumps on her skin. She smelt the damp and the mould as it slithered away, and when she opened her eyes again, the sinks were back where they were supposed to be and the moon had come out of the clouds it had been hiding under.

_Good girl._ Tom whispered, and she felt happier than she had felt before. Her fear dissipated slowly away as she left the girl’s lavatory and made her way back to Gryffindor tower.

“Are you sure she’ll notice me now, Tom?” She asked her best friend with a smile.

_Yes, she will, Ginerva. I told you your soulmate loves animals. Now that you have freed one of the oldest creatures in Hogwarts, your soulmate is sure to notice you._

~

Harry was sitting miserably in Lockhart’s office signing fan mail when he heard the voice. It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom.

“ _Come . . . come to me. . . . Let me rip you. . . . Let me tear you. . . . Let me kill you. . . .”_

Harry gave a huge jump and a large lilac blot appeared on Veronica Smethley’s street.

“What?” he said loudly.

“I know!” said Lockhart. “Six solid months at the top of the best-seller list! Broke all records!”

“No,” said Harry frantically. “That voice!”

“Sorry?” said Lockhart, looking puzzled. “What voice?”

_October 31 st, 1992_

Draco and Blaise were deep into their game of who could eat the most pumpkin tarts when Pansy slid next to the two of them, looking Haughty as usual. Draco had ignored her, as had most of Slytherin house for the better part of the previous month. He paid her no attention now as he wolfed down another tart.

“That’s twelve.” He grinned at Blaise, who was still on his third but was clearly struggling with it as he picked up another.

“Your _girlfriend_ doesn’t seem to be here.” Pansy egged him on. Draco knew that Pansy believed Hermione was his soulmate, and although most of his friends didn’t really believe the baseless idea, it still irked him whenever Pansy mentioned it.

“She’s always all over Ron Weasley.” Pansy continued with a smirk. Draco still hadn’t bit into the thirteenth tart. Blaise was still chewing on his tenth. “And Harry Potter.” Her voice became lower, still. Draco glared down at the tart.

“Guess she likes the golden boy more than she likes you, Draco.” Draco didn’t realize he had been clutching his wand tightly until Blaise’s hand was on top of his own.

“She’s not worth it, mate,” Blaise told Draco quietly. All traces of happiness gone from his face, he stood up and adjusted his robe.

“I’m leaving.” Neither Pansy nor Blaise followed him as he hurried out of the great hall. It so happened that he crashed into his actual soulmate and his two friends on his way back to his dormitories.

_“. . . rip . . . tear . . . kill . ._.” It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous voice he had heard in Lockhart’s office. He stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all his might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway. He barely even noticed Draco, who felt his blood run cold when he noticed how distraught Harry looked.

“Harry, what’re you — ?”

“It’s that voice again — shut up a minute —”

“Again?” Draco whispered to Ron, who looked bewildered but not worried. Why had no one told him Harry was hearing _voices?_

_“. . . soo hungry . . . for so long . . .”_

“Listen!” said Harry urgently, and Ron, Hermione, and Draco froze, watching him.

_“. . . kill . . . time to kill . . .”_

The voice was growing fainter. Harry was sure it was moving away — moving upward. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped him as he stared at the dark ceiling; how could it be moving upward? Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn’t matter?

“This way,” he shouted, and he began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping to hear anything here, the babble of talk from the Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. Harry sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor; Ron, Hermione, and Draco clattering behind him.

“Harry, what’re we —”

“SHH!” Harry shushed Draco and took his hand so they were running side by side. Draco could feel Harry’s excitement as they ran up the staircase and along a first-floor corridor. Draco felt as if he had told Harry he needed space in another life.

Harry strained his ears. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, he heard the voice: _“. . . I smell blood. . . . I SMELL BLOOD_!”

His stomach lurched —

“It’s going to kill someone!” he shouted, and ignoring everyone’s bewildered faces, he ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen over his own pounding footsteps —

Harry hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Ron Hermione and Draco panting behind him, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.

“Harry, what was that all about?” said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. “I couldn’t hear anything. . . .”

But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.

“Look!”

Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.**

“The Heir?” Draco whispered, feeling his heart beating out of his chest. They noticed Mrs. Norris, and after Ron suggested that they leave, Draco agreed vehemently. He pulled at Harry’s arm even as the younger boy tried to edge closer.

They were too late in trying to escape though, Harry heard the doors of the great hall opening and the chatter of voices as they came up the stairs. He gave a panicked glance at Draco before throwing his invisibility cloak at him. Right as the first students appeared down the hallways with the petrified cat and the glimmering, blood-red letters, Draco vanished under the glimmer of the invisibility cloak while Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood seemingly alone in the middle of the corridor.

~

Draco was waiting by the corridor that led to the portrait of the fat lady, eyes wide when Harry Ron and Hermione made their way there. Harry took one look at Draco and knew that they had to talk, whatever differences or breaks he and Draco were going through.

“Do you think we could sneak into the kitchens?” Harry whispered quietly as he took Draco’s hand. Draco instantly felt warmer and less scared, although a nagging voice inside his head reminded him that he had not forgiven Harry yet.

“Harry, whatever petrified Mrs. Norris is still loose in school!” Hermione whispered fearfully, looking from Harry to Draco to Ron. Ron was nodding in agreement almost immediately.

“We should meet _tomorrow_.” Ron insisted. “At our usual spot by the great lake, and Draco should go back to his dorm.” Draco felt his own fear elevate when he saw the genuine fear in Ron’s eyes. He nodded and removed Harry’s cloak, handing it over. Harry seemed to be deep in thought, bottom lip between his lips.

“I’m coming down there with you. I can’t let you go alone.” The dark-haired boy whispered.

“Then you’ll have to come up alone, Harry.” Draco insisted although he would love Harry to accompany him there, under the cloak. Harry looked like he was going to protest when Hermione said,

“Take the cloak, Draco. Is there any way you can tell us when you get there safely? Dobby?” Draco stiffened a little when she mentioned Dobby.

“I haven’t spoken to Dobby in a while. I’ve been angry at him since I found out he intercepted your letters, Harry.” Harry’s eyes widened first in anger then curiosity.

“How did you find out about-“

“Mister Malfoy.” A familiar sneer broke their conversation as everyone turned to see Professor Snape coming up the stairs. Harry thought he looked as greasy and formidable as ever.

“Five points from Gryffindor, each.” Snape snarled at the trio, eyes darting from one to another. “Dumbledore may believe you to be innocent, but I don’t believe you, Potter. To your dorms, now.” Harry was hurrying away, invisibility coat in hand when he heard Snape deduct five points from Slytherin as well before dragging Draco away.

As much as he detested Snape, he was grateful the professor was escorting Draco back to the Slytherin dorms.

~

_November 1 st,1992_

The air outside was crisp, and Draco felt a strange sense of déjà vu as he stood at the edge of the great lake that morning. Draco had asked Professor Snape what he had meant when he said he did not believe Harry, but the professor had been stone-cold silent as he escorted Draco down to the dungeons.

He noticed Harry Hermione and Ron walking across the schoolyard and gave them a little wave, watching them hurry their pace until they were closer to Draco. He noticed both Ron and Hermione were sensibly wearing thick maroon and yellow scarves against the morning chill but Harry wasn’t. He unwound his own Slytherin scarf and handed it to Harry, who was already shivering a bit.

“I’m okay, Draco!” Harry insisted quietly, but Draco looked at his soulmate right in the eye for a moment, which made him take it and wrap it around him. It gave Draco a strange sense of happiness to see Harry, the perfect Gryffindor in Slytherin colours. As they began to discuss last night’s happenings.

“D’you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?” Harry asked after explaining to Draco what the professors had said in Lockhart’s office

“No,” said Ron, without hesitation. “Hearing voices no one else can hear isn’t a good sign, even in the Wizarding world.” Draco nodded in agreement.

Something in Ron’s voice made Harry ask, “You do believe me, don’t you?” He glanced first at Draco, although his question was directed at Ron.

“’Course I do,” said Ron quickly. “But — you have to admit it’s weird. . . .” Draco could feel harry deflating and took Harry’s gloved hand quietly.

“I know it’s weird,” said Harry. “The whole thing’s weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened. . . . What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know, it rings a sort of bell,” said Ron slowly. “I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once . . . might’ve been Bill. . . .”

“I think it has something to do with Slytherin,” Draco said quietly as all three of them glanced at him. Draco was scrambling his mind trying to find the information, but he came back empty.

“And what on earth’s a Squib?” said Harry.

To his surprise, Ron stifled a snigger. “Well — it’s not funny really — but as it’s Filch,” he said.

“Wait what about Filch,” Draco asked, confused.

“Harry found out that Filch’s a squib.” Ron grinned.

“It’s a long story,” Harry muttered to Draco, and Draco suddenly felt upset he didn’t know every single thing Harry had been up to.

“A Squib is someone who was born into a Wizarding family but hasn’t got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch’s trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much. “Ron gave a satisfied smile. “He’s bitter.”

“Or he just genuinely wants the castle to be clean and expects us to follow the rules,” Draco said quietly. Ron’s ears went a little red.

“I’m not saying he’s a good person.” Draco backtracked. He didn’t want to be that person who was offended by everything. “But it looks like he always draws the short end of the stick, doesn’t he?” Ron, Hermione, and Harry were still watching him, so he felt himself go a little red in embarrassment.

“I jus-“ he tried to explain his thoughts a bit further when Hermione touched his shoulder.

“You’re one of the kindest people I know, Draco.” She said sincerely, and he felt himself go redder, his cloak a little too warm as Harry nodded and squeezed his hand tightly.

~

Harry and Ron were on their way to lunch, Ron definitely zoning out on Harry’s chatter about how he was writing a letter to Draco but wasn’t sure if he was being too descriptive about something when they passed Filch scrubbing away at the writing on the wall. He felt bad for the man as they passed by.

“Why can’t Dumbledore magic it away?” He suddenly asked Harry, who stopped beside him to watch Filch as well. Harry shrugged, watching the man teetering on the edge of a ladder.

“It seems odd that Dumbledore expects him to _hand clean_ everything in a school full of magic,” Ron said again, thinking about what Draco had said that morning. Harry nodded in agreement as they entered the Great Hall, gaze intently searching for Draco, who seemed to be in the middle of an animated conversation with Vincent Crabbe and Blaise Zabini. He felt a little jealous at the sight but sat next to Ron at the Gryffindor table.

“Have you spoken to Ginny?” Fred asked Ron quietly a little bit into lunch. Ron shook his head, mouth half full of sandwich, and began searching for his sister, who was gazing down at her food looking depressed.

“Ginny?” He asked her gently. The two of them had always been the closest in age, and he had always considered her his closest confidante until he had come to Hogwarts. He felt guilty for the second time that day for completely different reasons.

“I didn’t know you liked Mrs. Norris, Ginny.” He said after she had tried to explain her sadness. “I’m sure they’ll catch the maniac who did this soon.” He added quietly, hoping to cheer her up but she seemed to become sadder still.

“Is Ron being an arse, Ginny?” George had wormed himself between the two and Fred was suddenly on Ginny’s other side. Fred produced a small, localized explosion from his palm, similar to a miniature firework as they attempted to cheer their little sister up, glaring at Ron who had seemingly made things worse.

_November 4 th, 1992._

The four were comfortably hidden away in a corner of the library, in a section that was about law and legislature that was so boring that there were layers of dust there that Harry was sure had been there since the day the library opened. Draco was clutching Harry’s invisibility cloak just in case as Hermione flipped from book to book, complaining about the lack of _Hogwarts: A history_ books in the library.

“I can order one and have it here by the end of the week.” Draco offered as he looked over Ron’s History of Magic essay. It was still at least eight inches short, and Draco kept suggesting of ways for Ron to write more and more convoluted sentences, so it _seemed_ long. Harry was

slightly jealous he had finished his last night.

“I need one today!” Hermione seemed a little frantic, so Harry went to her to help look for anything about the chamber of secrets that none of them had been able to pull up any information on.

“Replace _therefore_ with _this therefore suggests that”_ Draco said helpfully. Before Ron could complain about something more, the bell rang, and the four dispersed; Draco headed for transfigurations while the Gryffindors to History of Magic, where professor Binns would answer Hermione’s question about the chamber of secrets.

_~_

_Hi!_

_Today at history of magic, Hermione cornered Professor Binns into explaining what the chamber of secrets is. Apparently, Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor had some sort of falling out which lead to Salazar Slytherin leaving Hogwarts. After he left, they say he built a hidden chamber in the castle, which could be opened only by his heir. Professor Binns also said that once the chamber was opened it would unleash some sort of monster that only the Heir of Slytherin can control that would kill all muggle-borns studying at Hogwarts._

_It sounds terrible, doesn’t it? Everyone kept asking professor Binns but he wouldn’t say anything more, and Hermione’s gone into even more of a frenzy trying to find more information about Salazar Slytherin. Would you have any ideas about any Slytherins who could be the heir?_

_Maybe you’ve heard the rumors, but everyone’s saying_ I’m _Slytherin’s Heir. I feel kind of queasy about that. I mean, I can’t be Slytherin’s heir, right? Remember how I told you about the sorting hat almost putting me in Slytherin on that first day? Do you reckon that was why?_

_Also, Ron and I noticed last week that Filch was cleaning up that message written in blood himself. Like with no magic. Don’t you think it’s a bit odd that we don’t use magic for that and instead expect Filch to do everything by hand? It just didn’t sit well with me after Ron explained it._

_I’ve been practicing quidditch loads in the afternoons with Oliver because he reckons the harder, we practice the better chance we’ll have at winning the house cup this year. I’m really excited for the first match on Saturday! I can’t wait to play against you. May the best seeker win!! See you then,_

_H_

_(I look forward to days on which I have potions now, which is odd.)_

_~_

_Hello Harry,_

_I wrote to mum for a book about Hogwarts and its creators because I couldn’t ask about the chamber of secrets without concerning her and she sent me this great old tome about Salazar Slytherin that’s apparently only got one copy._

_Hear this, Salazar and Godric were apparently really close friends when they started the school together and some people even speculate that they were soulmates! Apparently, there was a misunderstanding regarding a single muggle-born witch which is now interpreted as Salazar Slytherin hating all muggle- borns. I don’t know how much of this is true, I did some more digging about Salazar Slytherin and it turns out he wasn’t a good person_ at all. _Anyway, I couldn’t find anything about the monster or the location of the chamber, sorry!_

_I really don’t think you are the Heir of Slytherin Harry. Only the heir can open the chamber and unleash the beast and you_ haven’t _been doing that. Also, I see a lot of Gryffindor qualities in you; like bravery and rashness. There’s no way someone as rash as you could be a Slytherin! I don’t know if anyone in my house is the heir. Is there any way we could investigate without looking suspicious?_

_Also, did Hermione mention how_ ridiculous _Professor Lockhart’s homework is?? Him defeating the Wagga Wagga Werewolf is one of the worst books I’ve ever read._

_I’ve been practicing loads too! I’m very excited for tomorrow’s match I’ve polished my broom three times already. Marcus had to forbid me from touching it because he was afraid I’d do something to it by accident in my nervousness._

_I think I’m going to stop writing now. Blaise keeps asking me what I’m doing._

_D_

_(Potions is a great class! It's my favourite)._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! If anyone is getting kind of tired of the library scenes, please let me know. I personally adore libraries and books and I love writing about nerdy characters (which is why everyone’s at the library lately).   
> Also, can you guess who Ginny's soulmate maybe?  
> As always, I absolutely love reading your comments!! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me.  
> See you on the next one, folks!


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